WATSEKA, IL (Chambana Today) – The Illinois State Police has arrested 22-year-old Manuel Perez of Watseka, Illinois on charges related to the possession of child sexual abuse material.
The arrest was preceded by an investigation by the ISP and the investigation was initiated following a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The investigation led to an arrest warrant for Perez and he was taken into custody on Monday, November 18. Perez faces five counts of Possession of Child Pornography which is classified as a Class 2 felony.
He is being held in Iroquois County pending an arraignment hearing in court. This investigation is a collaborative effort between the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Office, the Watseka Police Department, the Iroquois County State’s Attorney’s Office, and ISP.
The public is encouraged to come forward with anonymous tips regarding child sexual abuse material at cybertipline.com. To learn more about keeping children safe, visit illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/onlinesafe/. For resources of sexual abuse survivors, visit missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources.
The ISP would like to remind the public that charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.