Score:   1
Docket Number:   CD-IL  2:19-cr-20015
Case Name:   USA v. Bell
  Press Releases:
URBANA, Ill. – A St. Joseph, Ill., man, William M. Bell, 40, who was previously an information technology employee of Monticello, Ill., community unit school district 25, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for child pornography crimes. Bell has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on Feb. 8, 2019.  

On April 18, 2019, Bell entered pleas of guilty to using a computer or device in July and August 2018, to send visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and in November 2018, possession of images of child pornography.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Champaign County Sheriff’s office, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative, to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

URBANA, Ill. – An initial trial date in March has been scheduled for a St. Joseph, Ill., man, William M. Bell, 39, who has been arrested and indicted on federal child pornography charges. Bell, a former information technology employee of Monticello, Ill., community unit school district 25, was arrested on Feb. 8, on charges returned by the grand jury on Feb. 5. The indictment had remained sealed pending Bell’s arrest. Following his arrest, Bell was ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a detention hearing which was held this morning.  

At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Harold A. Baker ordered Bell to remain detained in law enforcement custody. Trial for Bell is scheduled on March 5, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, in Springfield.

The indictment alleges that in July and August 2018, Bell used a computer or device to send visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and in November 2018, that Bell possessed images of child pornography.

If convicted, the statutory penalty for each count of transportation of child pornography (two counts) is five to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000; possession of child pornography carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Champaign County Sheriff’s office, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hGLsgFDylWkb_gitoMpfWX4AoXkjlDLJqtjcsJnTSec
  Last Updated: 2023-10-12 08:31:16 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the third highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE3
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE3
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
Arrest Start Date: Feb 08, 2019
Photo: N
Arrested: 1
Rescued: Unknown
Country: US
State: IL
Comments: Project Safe Childhood-CP related charges
Additional data courtesy @ArrestAnon 👼  
F U C K I N G P E D O S R E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E