Wedron man gets 10 years prison for disseminating images of child sexual abuse

A Wedron man pleaded guilty Thursday to disseminating child sexual abuse images with his phone and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Robert S. Kowalski, 33, was scheduled to appear on a motion for pre-trial release. The hearing had the potential to set a new precedent: No suspect charged in La Salle County with dissemination of child sexual abuse images had, to date, sought release under newly implemented provisions of the SAFE-T Act.

But when Kowalski appeared in court, it was to enter a guilty plea. With 160 days of credit for time served and a chance at day-for-day good time, Kowalski could be released in late 2027 or early 2028.

Kowalski was charged June 8 after La Salle County investigators seized electronic devices from his home and discovered an illicit video found to have been transmitted a few weeks earlier.

Kowalski declined an opportunity to address Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. before sentencing.