Kane’s Child Exploitation Unit helped nab former pastor charged with child pornography

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – A Campton Hills man was charged with felony possession of child pornography following an investigation by the Child Exploitation Unit, a collaboration between the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office, officials announced in a news release.

Michael C. Willis, 43, of the 39W800 block of Prunetree Lane, Campton Hills, was charged with two counts of reproducing and disseminating child pornography, three counts of possessing moving depictions of child pornography and two counts of possessing computer photographs, according to the release.

Willis was a pastor of a Geneva-area church until March. Rejoice Lutheran Church hired the Rev. Michael C. Willis to lead its youth ministry in 2016, according to the church’s Facebook page.

Willis was ordained as a pastor in 2022, according to records on the website of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, to which Rejoice belongs.

On Wednesday, a synod official said Willis was put on leave in April when the synod learned of the investigation, and that Willis resigned from Rejoice in early June.

State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser alleged that prior to April 10, 2023, Willis reproduced and possessed multiple child pornography videos and images, according to the release.

The Child Exploitation Unit, which conducted the investigation, is made up of investigators from both offices, along with assistant state’s attorneys with specialized knowledge in the investigation and prosecution of child pornography cases, according to the release.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force also assisted, according to the release.

Kane County Associate Judge Salvatore LoPiccolo issued a warrant for Willis’ arrest and set bond at $50,000, with 10% or $5,000 to apply for bond.

Willis surrendered to the Sheriff’s Office, posted bond and was released.

The terms of his release require that Willis is to have no unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 18, and he is not to possess any electronic devises that can record or review recordings or pictures.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 16.

Willis’s attorney, Sam Amirante, said his client is presumed innocent.

“He’s charged like any other criminal defendant in this wonderful country that we’re going to celebrate this coming week for the Fourth of July – and presumed innocent,” Amirante said.

“He certainly has that right under the Constitution like any other criminal defendant. And my job is to protect that right to be presumed innocent,” Amirante said. “From what I have seen so far, he will remain an innocent person as he is.”

The most serious charges that Willis faces are the the two counts of reproducing and disseminating child pornography, Class 1 felonies punishable by four to 15 years in prison and fines up to $25,000 or up to 48 months of probation, if convicted.

Daily Herald reporter Susan Sarkauskas contributed to this report.