South Side Man Sent Explicit Texts To Cop Posing As Teen: Sheriff

COOK COUNTY, IL — A South Side man who went to a meet up with what he presumed to be a 15-year-old boy was taken into custody at a fast food restaurant in Oak Lawn, police said. Francis Agins, 32, appeared Friday before a Cook County judge on multiple felony charges related to sex offenses against children.

A Cook County investigator from the special victims unit said he was contacted April 22 by Agins through a popular messenger app. Over the next 13 days, sheriff’s deputies allege that Agins sent explicit photos and graphic videos of himself to the investigator, who posed as a 15-year-old boy. Agins allegedly encouraged the teen to send pictures of himself.

According to the charges, Agins arranged to meet up the 15-year-old at a fast food restaurant in Oak Lawn, according to the charges. When Agins went to the restaurant to meet the teen, he was instead greeted by investigators and taken into custody.

Agins was brought to sheriff’s police headquarters in Maywood. There, police said Agins admitted that the person he thought he was texting was an underage boy. Agins was charged with grooming, indecent solicitation of a child via the internet, indecent solicitation/aggravated criminal sexual abuse, traveling to meet a minor, aggravated criminal sexual abuse/victim over 5 years old, manufacturing harmful material/webcam/device, possession of child pornography, and solicitation of child pornography.

Agins appeared at the Bridgeview Courthouse, where bail was set at $20,000.