From the State’s Attorney:
McHENRY MAN SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN PRISON FOR DISTRIBUTING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on August 11, 2026, Robert S. Nolan, 37, of McHenry, Illinois, was sentenced to fourteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, a Class X felony.
The Honorable Judge Tiffany E. Davis imposed the fourteen-year prison sentence pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.
The investigation began on April 26, 2025, when detectives with the McHenry Police Department received information stemming from a CyberTip submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The CyberTip indicated that a device associated with an IP address in McHenry had been used to upload and distribute child sexual abuse material to another user.
McHenry Police detectives traced the IP address and associated subscriber information to Nolan. Through additional investigative work, detectives developed evidence establishing that Nolan himself was responsible for uploading and distributing the material.
In addition to serving fourteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, Nolan will be subject to mandatory supervised release for a period of three years to natural life following his release from prison.
He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
“Every time this material is shared, a child is victimized all over again,” State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese said.
“You can no longer hide behind your screen and keyboard.
“Our law enforcement partners will follow the digital trail, our office will prosecute those responsible, and we will fight for sentences that hold them accountable.
“Fourteen years in prison sends that message loud and clear.”
State’s Attorney Freese commends the McHenry Police Department, and specifically Detective Susan Ellis, for her diligence and thorough investigative work on this case.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Vonau.
