A DuPage County jail officer has been accused of possessing child sex abuse images.

Steven M. Simmons, 32, of the 5500 block of Lakeside Drive in Lisle, faces five felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials depicting children 13 or younger, according to DuPage County court records.

He was arrested Tuesday at his home, according to a petition for pretrial detention prosecutors filed.

Judge Joshua Dieden denied the detention request, and Simmons was released from jail on Wednesday.

Investigators from the Illinois attorney general’s office received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children saying that a person was using Kik messaging app accounts to seek and receive child sexual abuse materials, according to the detention petition.

Investigators said they found messages in which Simmons said he worked at the jail, according to the petition. They said they also found messages in which he discussed how he might date a 15-year-old girl, “but a 14-year-old would be wild. Might as well say 13,” according to the petition.

Simmons began working for DuPage in April 2022, according to a 2022 Facebook post by the sheriff’s office. He was promoted to corporal in February 2025, according to another Facebook post.

The sheriff’s office announced that Simmons was fired Wednesday after his court appearance.

“We do not support, condone or tolerate behavior of this nature under any circumstance. The safety and protection of children is a cornerstone of our commitment to our community,” the sheriff’s news release stated.

The case is being prosecuted by the attorney general’s office and the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20260520/crime/authorities-dupage-county-jail-officer-had-child-sex-abuse-images/