Logan County, IL – A DeGraff man is in custody following a Logan County Sheriff’s Office investigation into alleged child exploitation offenses tied to Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC).
According to the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, detectives arrested 54-year-old Michael L. Walters on Tuesday on multiple counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person. The arrest followed an ICAC tip related to the alleged illegal downloading of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Investigators said the case began after ICAC provided information indicating Walters allegedly downloaded CSAM from the internet and the dark web. Detectives later contacted and interviewed Walters, who, according to the sheriff’s office, allegedly admitted to downloading the material over nearly a year.
Authorities executed a residential search warrant at Walters’ home, where detectives seized several electronic devices and external storage drives. During an initial review of the data, investigators reportedly located confirmed CSAM files estimated to number in the thousands, officials said.
Walters was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Logan County Jail. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges are expected as forensic examinations continue.
No court dates or bond information were immediately released. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone with information related to crimes involving the exploitation of children is urged to contact local law enforcement or submit tips through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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