Add Us On Google Add as a preferred source on Google

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ill. (First Alert 4) - A New Jersey man was convicted in Benton, Illinois, of attempting to solicit child pornography, the Southern District of Illinois announced Friday.

The jury found the 44-year-old man, Nicholas R. Emper, guilty after he asked for nude pictures of a person who he believed to be a 12-year-old. However, the person he was communicating with was actually an undercover law enforcement agent.

The communication took place in February 2025. The sentencing is set for Jan. 19, 2027.

The FBI Special Agent in Charge, Ryan Presley, said,  Exploitation doesn't begin with physical contact; it begins with a willingness to target a child. 

#firstalert4   #crimewatchstlouis