Benjamin W. Harbaugh

A rural Waterloo man who was recently arrested in another county for having sex with a minor was charged Thursday in Monroe County Circuit Court on several counts of possessing child pornography.

Benjamin W. Harbaugh, 25, was arrested Thursday on 10 counts of child porn, a Class 2 felony. Court information alleges Harbaugh possessed visual reproductions of children engaged in sex acts with another person and that he “knew or reasonably should have known” the victims to be under 13 years of age.

Harbaugh was arrested in February following an alleged sexual act with a teenager in Perry County on Christmas day.

Harbaugh was picked up by authorities in Monroe County on the Perry County warrant for aggravated criminal sexual abuse. This charge is also a Class 2 felony.

Court information alleges that Harbaugh committed a sex act with a male victim who was at least 13 but under 17 years of age when that alleged act took place on or about Dec. 25.

On April 8, police said they executed a search warrant at a home on Gladel Drive in rural Waterloo, where Harbaugh was residing. At that time, investigators found evidence of thousands of digital photos and videos of child porn in Harbaugh’s possession.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department in investigating this case, Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing said.

“They were closely involved in this case,” he said.

Harbaugh was transported to the Monroe County Jail on the charges with bond set at $100,000. He posted bond Thursday night and was released with a court date of 9 a.m. June 2. Given the severity of the new charges, a Perry County judge on Saturday revoked Harbaugh’s bond in the criminal sex abuse case and he is now in custody in that county on $500,000 bond.

Harbaugh’s attorney filed a motion requesting a reduction in his bond. A hearing was held on the matter Monday afternoon at the St. Clair County Courthouse, with Associate Circuit Judge Christopher Kolker denying the request.

Parents of children who may have had recent contact with Harbaugh are asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 939-8651.