Pekin Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

PEORIA, Ill. - A Pekin, Illinois, man, Jeffrey L. Gualandi, Jr., 33, was sentenced on October 27, 2026, to 46 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. He must also register as a sex offender and pay restitution to victims identified in the images under the provisions of the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.

At the sentencing hearing, it was established that in July 2024 in Tazewell County, Illinois, Gualandi possessed multiple electronic devices that contained images of child pornography. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant that month at Gualandi's Pekin residence and found six electronic devices that contained 653 images classified as child sexual abuse material.

Gualandi was indicted in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in February 2026.

The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are not more than 20 years in prison, not more than a $250,000 fine, and at least a five-year to life term of supervised release.

In sentencing the defendant, U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley noted the seriousness of the offense because it involved real victims.

"These types of cases will be vigorously prosecuted by this Office because of the ongoing trauma they cause these vulnerable children. They are first victimized by the producer of the images and subsequently victimized each time the image is viewed," said Assistant United States Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.

"Those who collect and possess child sexual abuse material help perpetuate the abuse of children and will be held accountable for their actions," said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. "This sentence is the result of the strong partnership between the FBI Springfield Field Office, the Pekin Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney's Office in our shared mission to investigate these crimes and pursue justice for victims."

The Pekin Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.

The case against Gualandi was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.