Despite her success in prosecuting child exploitation cases — 93 of them since she launched a special unit dedicated to the task in 2022 — Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser acknowledges that perpetrators “always seem to be one step ahead of us” technologically.
That’s why she gratefully accepted a $1 million check Aug. 26 from U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi to upgrade her office’s technology and case management system.
“These are not easy cases to investigate,” Mosser said.
and U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, center, talks with Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L Mosser, left, and St. Charles mayor Clint Hull, right, after a group photo Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026 at the Kane County courthouse in Geneva. Kane County is receiving $1 million to boost the fight against online predators and human traffickers. (Paul Valade/Daily Herald)Nor are they easy to manage. Prosecuting just one case can mean accessing, reviewing, cataloging and storing thousands of digital files.
Zeus Flores, director of digital forensics for Mosser, said among the things the money will buy is a forensic area network — a dedicated, encrypted server on which to preserve and analyze digital evidence.
Evidence storage needs have increased along with the storage capabilities of devices, like computers and smartphones, Flores noted.
And suspected child predators and human traffickers usually have more than one device that needs to be searched for evidence.
Krishnamoorthi, the Schaumburg Democrat who’s in his final months in Congress, obtained the funding through the federal Community Oriented Policing Services’ Technology and Equipment Program.
“Unfortunately, the bad guys are getting away with more and more human and sex exploitation, especially of our children, but also of various members of our community, and they are leaving a forensic trail that is digital in nature,” he said.
“Current equipment is not designed to properly process, digest and enable us to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators.”
The stats
Since Mosser teamed with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office to start the Kane County Child Exploitation Unit four years ago, it has brought charges against 93 people for crimes such as possession of child sexual abuse material.
Investigators from the unit have obtained more than 500 search warrants and examined more than 750 devices to document the allegations, she said.
Mosser noted that those charged have come from all walks of life, including law enforcement officers, clergy and business leaders.
“These individuals live in plain sight in all our communities,” she said.
Susan Sarkauskas and Charles Keeshan are reporters for the Daily Herald.
