A 37-year-old Des Plaines man has been charged after a Cook County Sheriff’s Police investigation found he shared child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via a social media app, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced. The Sheriff’s Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (ICAC) launched an investigation in September after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about potential CSAM on a social media user’s account.

Through search warrants, Sheriff’s Police investigators learned the social media account belonged to Nathaniel Zito and confirmed that CSAM was shared via that account. In October, Sheriff’s Police investigators spoke with Zito at his residence in the 9800 block of Bianco Terrace and, after waiving his Miranda rights, he said he sent and received CSAM from his cell phone and laptop computer. He consented to investigators to look through his phone, where they saw CSAM. They took the electronic devices as evidence and obtained search warrants for them.

On Jan. 27, Sheriff’s Police investigators arrested Zito after approximately 6,500 videos and images of CSAM were found on those devices. On Jan. 28, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved Dissemination of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography charges against him. Zito was ordered to Cook County Jail custody on Jan. 29 following his initial court appearance at the Skokie Courthouse. Since 2020, Sheriff’s Police investigations have led to charges against 61 people for cases involving victimization of children and child pornography. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Photo Credit: Cook County Sheriff’s Office