A 44-year-old Des Plaines Man has been charged with possession of AI generated child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) following an investigation by Cook County Sheriff’s Police, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced last week. On Feb. 27, the Sheriff’s Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit started an investigation based on tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about suspected CSAM that had been downloaded from the internet and uploaded to a cloud-based service. Investigators confirmed that the uploaded files contained sexually explicit images of children and then obtained search warrants for the electronic and internet service providers. They found the IP address used to upload the files traced to a residence in the 1400 block of East Oakton Street in Des Plaines, where Adam Bakker lived. On Sept. 1, investigators executed a search warrant at the home and took a desktop computer and Bakker into custody. After issuing Bakker his Miranda Warning, investigators learned that he downloaded child pornography and used AI to alter some of those images. A forensic search of Bakker’s desktop computer found more than 70 files of CSAM, including AI generated images. On Sept. 2, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one felony count of obscene depiction of a purported child and a felony count of possession of child sexual abuse material against Bakker. On Sept. 3, he was ordered to Cook County Jail custody following his first appearance hearing at the Skokie Courthouse. The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Photo Credit: Cook County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Thomas J. Dart