Baylis man in Pike County Jail facing 10 counts of child pornography

BAYLIS, Ill. — A Baylis man is lodged in the Pike County Jail and is facing 10 counts of child pornography

Law enforcement officials from the Pike County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office executed a court-authorized search warrant at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 14 in the 200 block of South Main Street in Baylis.

After the execution of the search warrant, Christopher A. Coleman, 40, was arrested. He is accused of possessing videos, via an electronic device, of children under the age of 13 engaged in various sexual acts.

A press release from the Pike County Sheriff’s Department said the criminal investigation began in April when information was received regarding the possession of child pornography. The investigation was forwarded to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department for further investigation.  

Chief Deputy Zack Orr, who led the criminal investigation, said numerous search warrants were obtained and executed, which helped law enforcement identify, locate and arrest Coleman.  

Orr is assigned to the Office of Illinois Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing 5,400 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The task force investigates, prosecutes and develops effective responses to internet crimes against children.