After a joint investigation, a 24-year-old Kewanee man faces child-pornography charges, according to a news release from the Kewanee Police Department.
Andre Gerts faces preliminary charges of possession of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography.
Earlier this year, the Peru Police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding potential criminal activity. Peru Police investigated and later determined that the incidents had occurred in Kewanee. The investigation was forwarded to the Kewanee Police Department Investigations Division, which is part of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
On Tuesday, Kewanee Police executed the warrant with assistance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, and Kewanee Fire Department. Gerts was located and arrested without incident.
“Multiple pieces of evidence” were collected during a residence search, the release says. “Based on the investigation, Gerts was transported to the Henry County Jail on preliminary charges of
possession of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography.
The Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office will review the case for official charges. “We would like to extend our gratitude to the Peru Police Department and the Illinois Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force for their investigative efforts, as well as to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and Kewanee Fire Department for their assistance during the execution of the search warrant,” the release says.