Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for sexually abusing two children and recording it.

DENIKOS HAWKINS induced two children to engage in sexual acts with him in 2023.  Hawkins recorded the acts and sent the sexually explicit videos to other minors, offering to pay them if they created the same type of videos.  When one of the victims stopped responding to Hawkins on Instagram, he threatened to send the videos of her to her school and to “everyone” she knew.

Hawkins, 36, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of production of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 24-year prison sentence during a hearing in federal court in Chicago on March 19, 2026.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.

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 www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.  The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.