Benjamin Morris was originally charged with 30 felonies related to child sexual abuse material. He now faces two new charges.
Barb Ickes, Alec Doxsee, Mikaela Schlueter
4:51 PM CDT September 22, 2026
4:51 PM CDT September 22, 2026
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — A Quad Cities man has pleaded not guilty to two additional charges related to child sexual abuse material, or CSAM.
33-year-old Benjamin Morris was arrested in July and originally charged with 30 felonies relating to the possession and dissemination of CSAM. He previously pleaded not guilty to those charges as well.
Morris now faces an additional two class X CSAM-related felonies. He pleaded not guilty to those new charges during a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
The court denied pretrial release, and Morris remains detained ahead of his trial. Another pretrial hearing is slated for 1 p.m. on Oct. 22 in Rock Island County.
Case background
In the afternoon of June 26, officers with the Rock Island Police Department were dispatched to the Quad City Arts building on 2nd Avenue after receiving a report of a possible sex offense. Officers met with the complainants, who identified themselves as representatives with Predator Poachers Illinois, a group that conducts online stings targeting suspected child predators. According to RIPD, the complainants alleged they had used a decoy posing as a minor to communicate with Morris, further alleging that Morris admitted to having child sexual abuse material.
READ MORE: How online predator hunters pointed police to a former Quad City Arts leader
Police said Morris was detained and questioned at the scene but was released shortly after the interaction. Police did seize his phone and wallet at the time. Search warrants were obtained, leading to Morris’ arrest.
Predator Poachers Illinois posted a video in late June that appeared to show Morris being placed into a Rock Island police car outside the Quad City Arts facility in downtown Rock Island.
Quad City Arts confirmed to News 8 that Morris served as interim executive director from April to June 2026. He previously served as the organization’s operations director. In a prior statement to News 8, the arts organization said: “At this time, there is no indication that any Quad City Arts programs, participants, students, apprentices, or community members were involved in or affected by the alleged conduct.”
