A man who’s given history presentations throughout the state, including in McHenry County, has pleaded guilty to possessing an image of child sex abuse, court records show.
James R. Gibbons, 73, who lists Harvard and Marengo addresses in court documents, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of possessing a child sex abuse image, a Class 2 felony, the records show. He was sentenced to 30 months of probation and 180 days in jail and is required to register as a sex offender. An additional count was dismissed, according to the judgment order filed in McHenry County court, signed by Judge Tiffany Davis.
With 226 days already spent in jail since he was charged, the jail sentence is considered served, and Gibbons was released Monday after entering into the negotiated plea, court and jail records show.
Court records state the images he possessed were of children younger than 13, with one “being a toddler,” Judge Cynthia Lamb said at Gibbons’s first court appearance in December, where the judge denied his release from county jail.
Officials confirmed that Gibbons is a historical presenter based in Marengo and has presented locally. According to the Jim Gibbons Historical Presentations website, which has been taken down since his arrest, he provided virtual and in-person presentations covering dozens of topics ranging from 9/11 and the Spanish flu epidemic to the fatal fire at Our Lady of the Angels School and Alex Trebek.
“Jim’s presentations have brought in audiences of over 100, with many audience members repeatedly attending his programs in libraries, park districts, retirement communities, private venues, schools, and colleges in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin,” according to a biography posted on the Geneseo public library website.
The document also said he has been featured in the Northwest Herald, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times and appeared on radio broadcasts, such as The Front Porch on Marengo Community Radio WXMR 94.3 FM, RFD Radio Network and The Dolly McCarthy Show.
In denying Gibbons pretrial release last December, Lamb said he admitted to authorities that he viewed the illegal content in question “several times,” but that “he will not do it again.” Lamb also said that Gibbons was accused of searching online for “toddler,” “preteen” and “incest,” and was “always worried about getting caught.”
What he is accused of doing “has supported and will continue to support a market for the making of this type of material, which does pose a real and present threat to the community,” the judge said.
Assistant State’s Attorney Sawyer Schexnider said during the initial appearance that an investigation began after law enforcement received a cyber tip and tracked the IP address to Gibbons’ home, according to Shaw Local news coverage at the time.
Authorities said they found additional devices in with files containing child sexual abuse material.
As part of his sex offender probation, Gibbons is required to undergo sex offender evaluation and comply with all recommendations, submit to a polygraph exam, register as a sex offender and submit a blood sample to the Illinois State Police, court records show.
He also is to have no contact with children without supervision by an adult approved of by a counselor and probation officer and is not to consume any controlled substances. Additionally, according to his sentencing order, he is not allowed to enter public parks, school property or businesses that cater to children; to loiter where children are present; or to possess any sexually explicit materials, the sentencing order shows.