An Unincorporated Lake Villa man has been charged with child pornography, after being found with nude images and videos of his roommate’s child.

On June 12, 2023, Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a residence in the 37400 block of West Park Lane, Unincorporated Lake Villa, for a report of child pornography that had been discovered on the cellular phone of Eric R. Studdard, 37, of the same address.

Further investigation revealed Studdard possessed numerous videos and images of child pornography, including child pornography of a juvenile that lived at the same address.  

Studdard was arrested and after reviewing the facts and circumstances of the case, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the following charges:

Child Pornography (Class X Felony)

Child Pornography (Class 2 Felony)

Two Counts of Child Pornography (Class 3 Felonies)

Sheriff John D. Idleburg said, “Thankfully the mother of the victim immediately contacted our office when she discovered the images of her daughter on the offender’s phone.  We will always invest all of our resources to identify and arrest those who prey on children.  That said, it remains incredibly important for parents and guardians to routinely review the content of your children’s electronic devices.”

Sheriff’s detectives continue to investigate, and additional charges are possible.  

Studdard remains held in the Lake County Jail pending an initial court hearing this morning.  

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