A man from Park Forest, Illinois, has been sentenced to 48 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography. Tercalo E. Thomas, 35, enticed and persuaded a prepubescent minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, which he recorded. Authorities reported that Thomas then used these images as barter to obtain additional images depicting the sexual abuse of other children.
At the time of his arrest in April 2022, law enforcement found more than 1,500 images of child sexual abuse on Thomas’s cell phone. He pleaded guilty last year to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger handed down the sentence during a hearing on January 22, 2026, at the federal courthouse in Chicago.
The sentencing was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Defendant was an avid collector of child exploitation images, particularly of prepubescent children,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Moheb stated in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Unsatisfied by his depraved collection, he created his own. The seriousness of this offense cannot be overstated.”
Individuals who believe they are victims of sexual exploitation are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. This service is available around the clock.
