Park Forest Man Found With 1,500 Images Of Child Sex Abuse Sentenced To 48 Years In Prison: U.S. Attorney

CHICAGO — A Park Forest man found with more than 1,000 images depicting child sex abuse has been sentenced to 48 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, the U.S. Attorney's Office said this week.

Tercalo Thomas enticed, persuaded, and used a prepubescent minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, which he recorded, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Thomas then trafficked the images as barter to amass a vast collection of images of other children’s sexual abuse. At the time of his arrest in April 2022, Thomas possessed on his cell phone more than 1,500 images depicting child sex abuse, prosecutors said.

Thomas, 35, pleaded guilty last year to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the 48-year prison sentence during a hearing on Jan. 22, in federal court in Chicago.

“Defendant was an avid collector of child exploitation images, particularly of prepubescent children,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Moheb argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.

“Unsatisfied by his depraved collection, he created his own. The seriousness of this offense cannot be overstated.”

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.