Petersburg, Illinois, Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt, and Distribution of Child Pornography

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A grand jury indicted a Petersburg, Illinois, man, Adam L. Power, 29, of the 500 block of 8^th Street in Petersburg, Illinois, on July 7, 2023, for producing, distributing, and receiving child pornography.

Court documents allege that Power requested, traded, and received child pornography from minors through the use of online applications. Power was identifying himself as a minor female to get minor males to produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Additionally, it is alleged Power distributed as well as received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Power was originally arrested in Petersburg, Illinois, on March 21, 2023, and charged with possession of child pornography by the Menard County State’s Attorney. He was released on bond with electronic monitoring. On June 30, 2023, Power was arrested by Department of Homeland Security Agents on a federal warrant and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

If convicted, the offense of sexual exploitation of a minor carries a statutory penalty of at least fifteen years to a maximum of thirty years’ imprisonment; for both receipt and distribution of child pornography, the penalty is at least five years to a maximum of twenty years’ imprisonment.

Agencies participating in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Athens Police Department, Illinois State Police, Petersburg Police Department, the Menard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Menard County States Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Anyone who may have information about potential victims is asked to contact Springfield Homeland Security Investigations at 217-547-2114 or Michael.F.Mitchell@ice.dhs.gov.

This case 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.