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Date: 10-07-2021
Case Style:
Case Number: 3:20-cr-30082-NJR
Judge: Nancy J. Rosenstengel
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (St. Clair County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: East St. Louis, IL: Criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with knowingly distributing child pornography.
Steven P. Tibbetts, 62, of Godfrey, Illinois, was indicted for knowingly distributing child
pornography in December 2019. Tibbetts began viewing and distributing child pornography
starting in the 1990s and continued until his arrest in June 2020. Furthermore, while Tibbetts was
on pre-trial release for the charged offense, an officer located additional devices in his home,
which were later found to contain child pornography. The instant offense involved 2,430
images of child pornography and 408 videos containing child pornography.
Tibbetts has served as a Lutheran pastor since 1992. At the time the complaint was filed, Tibbetts
was employed as the head pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois. In imposing
the sentence, the Court noted that “The defendant was living two lives of sorts.”
FBI Springfield Division and Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department investigated
the case. Significant assistance was provided in the early stages of the investigation by the
Peoria (Illinois) Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher R. Hoell and Karelia S.
Rajagopal.
18:2252A(a)(2)(B) & (b) - Distribution of Child Pornography
Outcome: Defendant shall be imprisoned for a term of 87 months as to Count 1 of the Indictment. Upon release, defendant shall be placed on supervised release for a term of 10 years as to Count 1 of the Indictment. Defendant shall pay a special assessment in the amount of $100.00 and restitution in the amount of $10,000.00. Fine is waived.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: