2-3-2012 Illinois:SYCAMORE – A Sycamore Park District employee was found dead in his home Thursday when police arrived to arrest him on child pornography charges.
Brian A. Cobb, 42, of the 1100 block of Wild Street in Sycamore, was wanted on a warrant charging him with 29 counts, most of which were related to child pornography.
Officers attempted to serve the warrant at Cobb’s house when a family member arrived, entered the home and found the body, according to a news release from the Sycamore Police Department. Cobb died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.
Cobb, who worked for the park district for more than 15 years, was the superintendent of parks maintenance. He faced accusations of soliciting teenage girls, taking and reproducing nude photos of a 14-year-old girl and exposing himself to her via the Internet.
After a months-long investigation, search warrants were served Jan. 20 at Cobb’s home and at the park district, Sycamore Police Sgt. Rod Swartzendruber said. Cobb was notified and given copies of the search warrants, Swartzendruber said.
Police have found no evidence that any patrons of the park district were victims or that anything occurred on park district property, Swartzendruber said.
Dan Gibble, who took over as executive director of the park district in January, said the district was made aware of an investigation two weeks ago when it received a search warrant from police.
Gibble said he was unaware of the investigation’s details but immediately put Cobb on administrative leave.
He said the park district does a good job with criminal background checks, but this incident will open discussions about future safeguards and improvements.
“We take people’s safety very seriously,” Gibble said. “We do training on various topics, and we will continue to do those to make employees aware of the issues and indicators.”
Sycamore Park Board President Ted Strack declined to comment.
Cobb was a longtime employee of the park district, Gibble said, which is why the district will meet with employees who knew Cobb to help them during an “upsetting” time.
Investigation started in September
A warrant for Cobb’s arrest was signed Wednesday with bond set at $500,000, according to court documents. Swartzendruber said the investigation into Cobb began in September when police received a complaint of harassment from a 15-year-old girl’s parent.
Court documents show the charges included 11 counts of various types of child pornography – all of which are Class 1 felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison each – and 10 counts of possession of film or photos that contain child pornography – Class 3 felonies punishable by up to five years in prison each.
The eight other charges included grooming, indecent solicitation of a child, solicitation to meet a child, sexual exploitation of a child and eavesdropping without consent – Class 4 felonies punishable by up to three years in prison each. Cobb also faced a Class A misdemeanor charge of exploitation, which is punishable by up to a year in a county jail.
Cobb lived alone and ran a fairly well-known photography business that used a studio in his home’s basement, Swartzendruber said.
Police believe Cobb randomly contacted the girls he interacted with through social media. Most of Cobb’s contact dealt with a 14-year-old girl who does not live in the area, Swartzendruber said.
According to court documents, Cobb solicited a 15-year-old local girl Aug. 30 via social media to meet him at his home. It was her parent who notified police in September.
On Oct. 29, he solicited a 17-year-old local girl, police said. He asked her more than 10 times to pose for nude photo sessions and offered to pay her for the sessions, according to court documents.
Swartzendruber said Cobb was taking legitimate photos of her in his basement studio when he asked about the nude photos. Police said Cobb set up a recording on that occasion. During an interview, police found the 17-year-old girl was not aware she was being recorded.
Swartzendruber said police are not sure whether Cobb first contacted the girl via social media or if the girl sought out Cobb for his photography services. No nude photos of the 17-year-old girl were taken, he said.
On Nov. 24, police said Cobb solicited a 14-year-old girl who does not live in the area. He asked her multiple times to pose for nude photos and offered to pay her for the sessions, according to court documents.
Cobb asked the girl to meet him at a hotel room without the knowledge of her parents, according to court documents. Via the Internet, Cobb discussed an act of sexual contact with the girl, exposed his genitalia and persuaded her to remove her clothing, according to court documents.
Cobb took pornographic photos of the 14-year-old girl and made reproductions of them, Swartzendruber said. There’s no evidence Cobb disseminated the photos.
He did not engage in physical sexual contact with the girls, but police believe he intended to do so, Swartzendruber said.
Investigation continues
Swartzendruber said investigators worked many hours on the case. With Cobb’s death, the prosecution comes to a halt, but the investigation into Cobb is ongoing as police sift through information on his computer and determine whether there are other victims. Those with information are asked to contact Sycamore Police.
“Yeah, it’s kind of an abrupt end. But if there are any other victims, we definitely want to find that out,” he said.
DeKalb County State’s Attorney Clay Campbell said any type of child pornography investigation is a top priority for investigators. He commended Sycamore Police and prosecutor Victor Escarcida on their work.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Cobb decided to end his life, and, you know, that puts an end to that part of the investigation,” Campbell said, noting that ensuring the children are safe and reaching out to their parents continues. ..Source.. by CAITLIN MULLEN
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