Oak Forest Man Gets 6 Years for Child Porn Conviction

OAK FOREST, IL — An Oak Forest man last week pleaded guilty to child porn charges, and was sentenced the same day to 6 years in prison.

Thomas P. Schickel, 37,pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on Nov. 9, Chicago Tribune reports.

Schickel was charged in September 2015 after police discovered more than 65 child pornography images on his cellphone, including pictures of nude high school girls, authorities said. He also was charged with charged with solicitation of child pornography and inducing another to provide child pornography.

According to prosecutors, beginning in September of 2013 a relative of Schickel’s was part of an ongoing private text messaging group consisting of several minor females. In addition to discussing school and social matters, several of the group members shared nude photos of themselves within the private group.

This behavior continued until March of 2015 when one of the group’s members went to her high school and spoke with the Dean of Students about the situation. The Dean then contacted the Orland Park Police who immediately involved ICAC and Oak Forest Police.

Investigators determined that on several occasions between 2013 and 2015, Schickel received nude images of female minors and that Schickel had repeatedly used threats and punishments to force his relative to solicit nude photos from members of the text group. After one of the girls confronted the relative after receiving one of the images, the relative disclosed that Schickel had asked for naked pictures of her friends.

Schickel was previously held on $1 million bail at Cook County jail.