COOK COUNTY, IL – A man wanted in Atlanta, Georgia for child pornography felonies was arrested following an investigation by the Sheriff’s Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (ICAC), which found pornographic videos of children under the age of 13 on his cellphone, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
ICAC officers began their investigation into 32-year-old James Wright after they received information from the Atlanta Police Department who issued multiple warrants for his arrest on charges of five counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Investigators also identified a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that had explicit videos of child pornography uploaded and shared through a social media account linked to Wright.
Subsequently, investigators identified additional cyber tips involving child pornography connected to Wright out of Greenville, SC, Forney, TX, and the Elbert County Sheriff’s Department in Georgia.
On Feb. 15, ICAC investigators arrested Wright outside his home in Riverdale. After being issued his Miranda Warning, Wright stated he viewed child pornography of kids between the ages of 9 and 11 years old, that he would request children to send nude videos to him, and in turn, he would send those videos to other children in an attempt to groom them.
A forensic analysis of his cell phone revealed more than 300 sexually explicit videos of children as young as 5 years-old and messages between Wright and juveniles containing those videos.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of two counts each of Dissemination and Solicitation of Child Pornography, both Class X felonies, three counts of Possession of Child Pornography, a Class 2 felony, three counts each of Intimidation by Ridicule, a Class 3 felony, and three counts of Grooming, a Class 4 felony.
Wright appeared for a bond hearing on Feb. 24 at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, where a judge ordered him held in the Cook County Jail. His next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 29.
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.