Plainville man agrees to plea with 12-year cap, will be sentenced in October on two child pornography charges

QUINCY — A Plainville man facing seven counts of child pornography from a January arrest has agreed to plead guilty to a negotiated plea and will be sentenced next month.

Joshua D. Cress, 43, of 371 Main in Plainville appeared in Adams County Circuit Court on Friday morning with Public Defender Christopher Pratt before Judge Robert Adrian for a pre-trial hearing. Cress’ case was scheduled for a jury trial beginning Oct. 10.

Pratt told Adrian that Cress was waiving his right to a trial and the plea deal was reached in exchange for a cap of 12 years on two charges — one for photographing a child for pornography, a Class 1 felony, and one for possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony. The other five counts would be dismissed as part of the agreement.

Cress will be sentenced on Oct. 31.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services alerted the Adams County Sheriff’s Department on Dec. 29, 2022, regarding a case of sexual exploitation of a minor. A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Cress on Jan. 3, and he was charged with four counts of photographing a child for pornography, a Class 1 felony.

Cress was lodged in the Adams County Jail. Bond was set at $150,000. Cress posted $15,000 (10 percent) on Jan. 5 and was released. 

However, after an ongoing investigation, three more charges of possession of child pornography were made, all Class 2 felonies, and an arrest warrant was issued. Cress was arrested Friday, March 10. Bond was set at $300,000, then reduced to $150,000 three days later. Cress posted $15,000 (10 percent) on March 14 and was released.