waterman Man Sentenced to Jail, Probation for Possession of Childโข Sex โขAbuse Material
WATERMAN, IL – William โK. Frieders, 37, of Waterman, โขwas sentenced to 42 โขdays in the DeKalb County Jail and 24 monthsโค of probation after pleading โฃguilty to eight counts of unlawful possession of child โsexโฃ abuse materials, a Class 2 โfelony. Theโค charges stemmed from a year-long investigation initiated inโค May 2023 โby the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office after receiving a cybertip throughโข the national Center โfor Missing and Exploited Children.
Snapchat and Kik reported a user with a DeKalb โCounty IP address possessing child sexual abuseโ material,โค leading deputiesโฃ to โidentify Frieders as the account holder. โA search of โFrieders’ phone in october 2024 revealed more than โ50 files of child sexual abuse material, according to court records.
Frieders initially faced 15 counts, โbut seven where dropped as part of a pleaโฃ deal โwith the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s โคOffice. Circuit Court Judge โPhilip Montgomeryโ sentenced Frieders on Sept. 9, with credit given for three days already served.The sentence, which began Sept. โ23,is contingent upon completion of court-ordered psychological treatment.
Additionally, Frieders is required to register as a โsex offender in Illinois and is prohibited from being near โคschoolsโข or spaces frequented by โchildren.
Theโฃ DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office wasโข contacted in September 2024 โby the West Virginia State Police, who were investigating a solicitation case involvingโ a 14-year-old girl whoโค received nudeโฃ images fromโ an adult male. Search warrants indicated โthe solicitation was linked to Frieders.
