On January 17, 2023, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division in collaboration with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) concluded an investigation which resulted in the arrest of a man for the offense of indecent solicitation of a child.  

For the past several weeks Thomas E. Edwards, Jr., 29, of the 200 block of Glen Street, Grayslake, was communicating with an undercover detective online.  The detective was posing as a girl under the age of 15.  During the conversations, Edwards claimed to be 26 years of age.  During their conversations, Edwards began enticing the ‘child’ to meet with him to engage in sexual acts with him.  Additionally, Edwards sent videos to the girl of himself engaged in sexual acts.  

On January 17, 2023, Edwards drove to meet with who he thought was the girl to engage in the sexual acts.  When he arrived, he was arrested by sheriff’s detectives.  

After reviewing the facts and circumstances, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the following charges:

Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3 Felony)

Grooming (Class 4 Felony)

Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4 Felony)

Dissemination of Harmful Material (Class 4 Felony)

Following an initial court hearing, Edwards remains held in the Lake County Jail on $250,000.00 bail.  He is next due in court on February 16, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.