St. Charles-area man gets 9 years for reproducing child sexual abuse images

A St. Charles Township man agreed to a sentence of nine years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of reproducing child sex abuse images, according to a news release from Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and court records.

Phillip E. Obenauf, 33, pleaded guilty to a Class X felony, the release stated, punishable by six to 30 years in prison. His plea was part of an agreement where the other counts against him would not be prosecuted, court records show. Kane County Circuit Judge D.J. Tegeler accepted the plea, the release stated.

Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Rodgers stated in court that on Aug. 30, 2023, investigators with the Kane County Child Exploitation Unit executed a search warrant at a residence where Obenauf was present, the release stated.

Investigators seized several electronic devices belonging to Obenauf. After examining them, investigators determined that he sent a video containing child sex abuse material to another user on Instagram, the release stated.

“Any time someone views or disseminates child sexual abuse materials, a child is re-victimized,” Rodgers stated in the release.

“The offenders for these types of crimes are present in every community and often hidden in plain sight,” Rodgers stated in the release. “My thanks to the investigators of the Kane County Child Exploitation Unit for their excellent work on this case and their ongoing efforts in locating these offenders and holding them accountable.”

In accordance with state law, Obenauf is eligible for day-for-day sentencing and will receive credit for 731 days spent in custody of the Kane County jail, the release stated. He will receive an additional 42 days of pre-plea sentencing credit for a total of 773 days – or just over two years – that he must serve in prison, the release stated.

In addition to the prison term, Obenauf must register for life as a sexual offender in accordance with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act.

Court records show that Obenauf was indicted Oct. 10, 2023 on 20 counts of possessing and reproducing sexually explicit visual content depicting someone under age 18, and one count of animal torture, all felonies. All but the single reproduction count were dropped.