FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ill. – A Benton, Illinois, man was sentenced Thursday to 28 years in state prison after pleading guilty to child porn charges and to having sexual contact with an animal.
The Illinois Attorney General’s High Tech Crimes Bureau received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Sept. 7, 2023, about child pornography being uploaded to the cloud. State agents traced the download to the home of Austin W. Lee.
Authorities searched Lee’s home and electronic devices. During an interview with law enforcement, Lee admitted to possessing, downloading, and uploading numerous pictures and videos of the illicit material.
Investigators also found pictures and videos of Lee having inappropriate contact with a neighborhood dog.
Lee pleaded guilty to five counts of child pornography and one count of sexual conduct with an animal. He was sentenced to five years on each child porn count and three years on count involving the dog.
