ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES MACON COUNTY MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY POSSESSED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES MACON COUNTY MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY POSSESSED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

April 16, 2026

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Mt. Zion, Illinois man for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. The case is part of Raoul's ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online.

The Attorney General's office charged Spencer Price, 19, in Macon County Circuit Court with eight counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, each Class 2 felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison, and one count of failure to register as a sex offender, a Class 3 felony punishable up to five years in prison. Sentences are ultimately determined by the court. Price is currently being held at the Macon County Jail, and his next court date is scheduled for April 29.

"Survivors of child exploitation and their families deserve justice for the trauma they have experienced, making it vital we continue to work to hold individuals who trade and download these heinous images and videos accountable," Raoul said. "My office's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to partner with state and local law enforcement agencies like the Mt. Zion and Decatur police departments to find and stop individuals who exploit minors."

Raoul's investigators, along with officers from the Mt. Zion Police Department, conducted a search on Wednesday of Price's residence in the 1000 block of Woodland Drive in Mt. Zion. The Decatur Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Price was arrested based on evidence of child sexual abuse material.

"Attorney General Raoul's investigators did a great job investigating this case, and the Mt. Zion Police Department was happy to assist their team in executing the search warrant that led to this arrest," said Lieutenant Michael Foster of the Mt. Zion Police Department.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Raoul's office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child sexual abuse material, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2025, reports to the ICAC Task Force increased by 45% over 2024.

Illinois' ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 200 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 76,500 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 1,800 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,500 arrests of sexual predators. In 2025, the task force was involved in rescuing more than 30 child victims from ongoing abuse. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to over 1 million parents, teachers, students and more than 25,000 law enforcement professionals.

Attorney General Raoul is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.

Assistant Attorney General Clarissa Palermo is prosecuting the case for Raoul's Criminal Division.