Northern Ill. Mayor Charged in Porn Case

GREEN OAKS, Ill. – The mayor of this small northern Illinois community has been charged with distributing child pornography over the Internet.

Mayor Thomas Adams, 68, is accused of using at least three different screen names to send e-mails with pornographic attachments beginning in March 2005, prosecutor Patricia Fix said.

Adams was arrested Monday and a judge set his bond at $100,000.

“These are very unfortunate charges,” said his attorney, Thomas Briscoe. “We will have an answer to them at the appropriate time.”

The FBI traced e-mails carrying child pornography that were received in Clearwater, Fla., back to Adams’ computer, Fix said. Investigators found multiple child pornography images stored in a computer during a search of Adams’ home, she said.

Since 1993, Adams has been mayor of Green Oaks, located about 35 miles north of Chicago. He also served for two years as chairman of the Lake County Republican Party.