Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that an Oconee, Illinois man was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual assault, as well as producing and disseminating child sexual abuse material. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online.
The Attorney General’s office prosecuted Andrew Clardy, 18, who previously pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault, producing child pornography and disseminating child pornography, all Class X felonies. Clardy was sentenced by Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Byran Kibler.
“The victims who were abused and exploited deserve justice, and it is my hope that this sentence allows those young victims and their families to work toward healing,” Raoul said. “I will continue to partner with local law enforcement agencies to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent additional children from becoming victims of these horrific crimes.”
Raoul’s investigators, along with officers from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Christian County Sheriff’s Office and Pana Police Department arrested Clardy after searching his home in April 2024 and discovering evidence of child sexual abuse material, which included videos and images of victims – some of whom he knew. Clardy was a minor at the time of his arrest but was charged as an adult due to the nature of the offenses.
Raoul’s office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child sexual abuse material, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2024, reports to the ICAC increased by 11% over 2023.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 200 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has received more than 54,700 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 900 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,300 arrests of sexual predators. In 2024, the task force was involved in rescuing more than 45 child victims from ongoing abuse. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to tens of thousands of parents, teachers, students and law enforcement professionals.
Attorney General Raoul is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
Deputy Chief Shannon O’Brien prosecuted this case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
