David Kurth, a 32-year-old resident of Crystal Lake, was sentenced on May 13 to a total of ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two counts of solicitation of child sex abuse material. The sentencing was announced by McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese.
Kurth received six years in prison for one case and four years for the second, with Judge Tiffany Davis ordering the sentences to run consecutively. The charges followed an investigation that began when the Crystal Lake Police Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an uploaded file containing child sex abuse material traced to Kurth’s address.
Further examination of Kurth’s electronic devices and online Dropbox records revealed he had communicated with two minors—one in Massachusetts and another in New Jersey—and persuaded them, despite knowing their ages, to send him illicit materials. Both minors confirmed these details during interviews conducted as part of the investigation.
Upon his release from custody, Kurth will be subject to Mandatory Supervised Release for a period ranging from three years up to natural life. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
“Crimes involving the exploitation of children are among the most disturbing offenses our office prosecutes. Those who seek out or solicit child sexual abuse material fuel the continued victimization of innocent children. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute these offenses to protect children and our community,” Freese said.
Freese thanked Detectives Jeffrey Mattson and Jennifer Zelinsky from Crystal Lake Police Department; members of NCMEC; Holbrook Police Department in Massachusetts; and Burlington County Sheriff’s Department in New Jersey for their collaborative efforts leading to Kurth’s apprehension. Assistant State’s Attorneys Justin Neubauer and Shelby Page prosecuted these cases.
