A federal grand jury in Rockford has indicted a man from Stephenson County, Illinois, on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children. Collin T. Zier, aged 39 and residing in Lena, Illinois, faces multiple charges including producing, transporting, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
The charge of producing child pornography comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and could lead to up to 30 years in federal prison. The charges for transporting and receiving child pornography each have a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum sentence of ten years.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, alongside Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Chicago Field Office. The investigation received assistance from the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
Authorities emphasize that an indictment is not evidence of guilt; the defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a national initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration between federal, state, and local resources. PSC also focuses on providing essential services to victims.
Individuals who suspect they are victims of sexual exploitation are urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through their website or hotline available around the clock.
