Romeoville Man Faces Sex Abuse, Child Porn Charges

Updated at 3:55 p.m. May 3:

Bond for a Romeoville man facing charges of criminal sexual abuse of a child and aggravated child pornography was set at $7.5 million Friday.

Timothy Brandt, 36, was arrested Thursday after investigators executed a search warrant at his Romeoville home and seized his computers. Brandt is also accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, an act he allegedly videotaped.

Will County State’s Attorney’s Office spokesman Chuck Pelkie said an investigator was able to track the trading of child pornography to an IP address traced to Brandt's home. Brandt is accused of downloading more than 5,000 pornographic images of children.

Brandt was at the home with his girlfriend and her parents Thursday when investigators arrived to execute a search warrant, according to prosecutors. During the search, police discovered a laptop containing three videos of Brandt touching a young girl, who was naked from the waist down.

In some of the videos, Brandt could be seen holding the camera, according to Assistant State's Attorney Michael Fitzgerald. Prosecutors said Brandt admitted to sexually abusing the girl and filming it, along with downloading the pornographic images found by investigators.

When asked how much money he could post for bond, Brandt said, "I'm sorry, I have nothing." He would have to come up with 10 percent of the $7.5 million bond to secure his release.

If he is able to come up with the money, Brandt would be prohibited from having contact with anyone under age 18 without another adult present. He would also be barred from using any kind of computer.

Brandt appeared in court Friday via closed-circuit TV from the Will County jail. During the bond hearing, an elderly man and woman identified by attorneys as Brandt's parents stood in view of the camera being broadcast back to the jail. The man identified as Brandt's father broke down sobbing as he left the courtroom and had to be helped out by bailiffs and sheriff's deputies.

Brandt is due back in court May 24.

Editor's note: Joseph Hosey contributed to this report. 

Original story:

A Romeoville man faces multiple felony sexual abuse and child pornography charges following a two-month investigation by the Will County State's Attorney's High Technology Crimes Unit, the Romeoville Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, according to state's attorney's office spokesman Chuck Pelkie. 

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Timothy J. Brandt, 36, of 420 Glen Ave. was arrested Thursday after detectives executed a search warrant at his home. The investigation was launched by the High Technology Crimes Unit as part of a probe into the distribution of child pornography over the Internet, according to officials. 

During the search, detectives took possession of Brandt's computers, Pelkie said in a press release issued Friday. 

He is charged with two counts of predatory sexual assault of a child and five counts of aggravated child pornography — all Class X felonies that are punishable by a minimum of six years in prison with no chance of probation if he's convicted. Brandt is also charged with seven counts of child pornography, Pelkie said.

Pelkie declined to comment on the age of the child, or to say whether Brandt is accused of abusing more than one child. "I"m not going to relate any details with regard to any victims in this case," he said.

Brandt is scheduled to appear Friday afternoon in Will County court, where bond will be set.

Anyone with information regarding Brandt's arrest is asked to contact Romeoville Detective Paul Tuuk at 815- 886-7219.