CHICAGO - A Chicago man has been charged with transporting child pornography on a flight from Chicago to Mexico.

THOMAS NEAL, 42, possessed images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone when he flew from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago to Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 17, 2026, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Upon arrival, Neal was selected for secondary screening by Mexican border authorities, at which time the authorities observed images on Neal's phone that constituted child pornography, the complaint states. Mexican border authorities secured Neal's phone and other luggage, which included two laptops and six electronic storage devices, and placed him and the luggage on a flight to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, the complaint states.

Upon arrival in Houston, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents reviewed Neal's phone pursuant to their border search authority and observed hundreds of files that constitute child pornography, the complaint states. Neal is currently employed as a teacher at a high school in the Northern District of Illinois, the complaint states.

The complaint charges Neal with one count of transportation of child pornography. The charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in a federal prison and a maximum of 20 years.

Neal is currently detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on June 29, 2026, at 12:30 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes in Chicago.

The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of HSI. Substantial assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.comLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.