A former Bartlett resident who prosecutors said was a part of "most significant international child exploitation investigations ever" was sentenced to 40 years in prison today for posting video online of himself molesting an infant. more ›

Mario Meschino, 42, a former Plainfield school bus driver, has received a 30-year prison sentence after admitting to collecting and trading child pornography. Federal prosecutors found over a thousand pictures and videos of child pornography on Meschino's computer when he was arrested last year. more ›

• Authorities believe the trucker who was stabbed to death today was stabbed by another trucker after an "altercation."
• A soldier from Galesburg, Illinois serving in Afghanistan is currently being held on misguided child pornography charges stemming from a family photo.
• Block 37's insurance issue may soon be cleared up.

Unfortunately, with advancements in technology come those who exploit it and kids who don't realize the consequences of their actions. Police in Plainfield are trying to sort out a scandal that all began when a 16-year-old female student sent a nude photo of herself to a male student. As tends to happen, the photo quickly got forwarded on to other students. The Tribune reports nine phones have been seized and the students who helped originally spread the photo have been questioned. Since the girl in the photo is a minor, viewing it is considered viewing child pornography but he Will County state's attorney's office told the Tribune that cases like this one involving students are usually handled through juvenile probation. more ›

• President Obama will apparently never have a Commerce Secretary: Republican Sen. Judd Gregg (NH) has withdrawn his name because of a difference of opinion over the stimulus package.
• Lawmakers are considering banning future governors from emblazoning their name on signs a la Blago and the Tollway.
• That's not the only sign issue in the state: now there's a fuss over the county road markers that the Cook County Board approved earlier this week, a fight that's being led by a pair of Board commissioners.

It's a Chicagoist Choose Your Own Adventure: You're a mom. Your 13-year-old little girl comes home bawling after school one afternoon. "Why, daughter," you say, "Whatever could be the matter?" more ›

Oprah was not about easing us into the week this Monday. Her opening show blew the lid off internet child pornography, exposing the startling prevalence of sexual predators and the deeper lows they’re sinking to in the abuse of children and infants. Some shocking stats: 30 to 40 percent of those downloading child pornography are molesters themselves, yet law enforcement for this type of crime is so underfunded that only two percent of leads are able to be investigated. Girls who had been victimized spoke bravely about their experiences, sending the message that the “stranger danger” we warn our kids about could be right next door. When we thought we could handle no more, Oprah thankfully ended the show by providing viewers with an action plan to help eliminate this epidemic. This was a difficult program to watch filled with tears and lacking a single clap of applause, but this is clearly an under-reported topic that deserves our immediate attention. Way to go, Big O. more ›

Embattled R&B singer R. Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges in June, has resurfaced for an interview about the trial. Noting that it was time to "move on," Kelly said, "I can't keep answering these questions. If you was charged with something and you was found innocent, then you can't be found guilty for being found innocent." Ah, the legal wisdom of pop stars. But he didn't stop there. more ›

• Take that! A Grayslake man has been hospitalized after he fell and broke his hip while stabbing his wife! His wife ran to a neighbors for help. She’s doing okay. During the investigation, police found, “an Uzi semiautomatic submachine gun and a Beretta pistol in the home.” [WBBM]
• Two boats in Belmont Harbor were destroyed late Friday when they caught fire. People aboard the 42-foot boat had to jump overboard and all are okay. The fire was started when a candle fell over and started the fire. [Trib]
• The president of the Trafalgar Town Council faces two felony charges of child exploitation. Police found on his computer 74 images and videos of children as young as two engaged in sex acts. A computer repair business notified police it had found the files on his computer. [WBBM]
• Amtrack will expand security sweeps, subjecting passengers to random security checks. Chicago is on the list of cities with new procedures, beginning this fall. [S-T]
• Folks are swimming again at 63rd Street. The Chicago Park District is testing a new water test that gives real time results to determine if the water is safe. The new test and a new focus on sanitation have kept the beach open all summer; two years ago, it was closed 23 times. [S-T]
• United has reached a deal with the International Association of Machinists, and will offer early retirement to 400 customer service and ramp agents. [S-T]
• A DuPage County Man was sentenced to 38-years in prison for the “thrill killing” of a homeless man. [Trib]
• An Uptown man is being hailed as a hero for saving a baby he found wrapped in a plastic grocery bag. The man ran the baby to a fire station three blocks away, and paramedics rushed the baby, suffering from hypothermia, to the hospital. [Trib]

Sun-Times music critic Jim DeRogatis will have to testify at R. Kelly's trial, Judge Gaughan ruled today. DeRo's lawyer says he's going to appeal. more ›

], and some members of the Kelly jury pool have given us some great examples this week. One woman was dismissed for singing high praises of Kelly, calling him a "musical genius." When asked to say something negative about him, she reluctantly brought up his feud with Jay-Z. Another woman was dismissed because the judge thought the woman's impending June wedding would distract her from juror duties. One woman, when asked if she had an opinion on Kelly replied, "Yes, he's not very smart." The Sun-Times reported that the answer caused Kelly to wear "a hurt expression on his face." Sad panda. more ›

You know, all these food posts today made us hungry around the offices. If they've done the same for you, here's some reading material for you while you we ourselves a plate of something. Just the kind of publicity BP needs right now. The source of an oil leak that made its way to Munster, Indiana's storm sewers Monday night was one of BP's seeping, inactive pipes. In addition to jurors getting to view... more ›

Just in case you're picked for jury duty on this case, we want to remind you that it has been five years since R. Kelly was indicted for 21 counts of child pornography. We know by the time someone gets their shit together and pins him to a chair in a courtroom some people may have forgotten what it was all about in the first place, and even be inclined to think the whole thing was made up. more ›

Another weekend, another chance to get into trouble: For the third week in a row on the Blotter, multiple teens died in a car crash this weekend. Nine young people, ages 14 through 23, packed themselves into a four-door sedan in Oswego early Sunday morning. The driver and only non-teen, 23-year-old Sandra Vasquez, slammed into a utility pole, killing four passengers and injuring the rest. Vasquez has been charged with driving under the influence. The... more ›

No, not that one. But we’ll get to that in a minute. more ›

It appears that the “unfinished business” between R. Kelly and Jay-Z is going to stay that way. more ›

Chicago rapper & producer Kanye West has received a record number of nominations for Britain's Music of Black Origin (Mobo) awards. Finalists for the awards were announced late yesterday and Kanye was nominated in 7 categories, best video, best collaboration (twice), best single, best album, best producer, and best hip-hop act. The awards show is in its 9th year and is the largest urban awards show in Europe, which makes it ironic that it is dominated by American acts such as Kanye, as well as Alicia Keys, Outkast, & Brandy. Even the host, Pharrell Williams, is American. more ›

Last night Chicagoist walked past a shoot of an R. Kelly video. Currently facing 14-counts of child pornography, Kelly is Chicago's #1 bad boy rapper R&B artist. Which should make us not like him, but we just love the song Ignition Remix so much that we had to stop and watch the video shoot for a while. The bridge above the boat was crowded with fans and Kelly waved, blew kisses, and was generally nice - responding back when people shouted to him. Kelly, who was pimped out in all white, wasn't the only one getting attention. The boat was filled with scantily-clad honies who drew many admiring men to the bridge. more ›

The owner and operator of a tutoring center on the South Side was arrested for kiddie porn this weekend. James Bradshaw, who founded the Beverly Instructional Center on West 95th Street, was charged Tuesday with unauthorized videotaping and possession and manufacturing of child pornography after the father of one of the students noticed a surveillance camera in the center�s only bathroom. Police seized 11 computers, including Bradshaw�s personal laptop, and several videotapes; Bradshaw�s laptop contained 72 images of child pornography, no of which appeared to be related to the filming at the center. Police also discovered $38,000 in cash, which they are �investigating.� Bradshaw has not been charged with molestation, but the police are still investigating the possibility. more ›