Youth Soccer Coach Faces Child Porn Charges

Darrell Stephenson of Crest Hill was charged last week with the aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy

A Crest Hill youth soccer coach accused earlier this week with sexually abusing a pre-teen boy now faces additional charges of child pornography.

As part of the investigation into the sexual abuse charges, investigators searching the home of Darrell Stephenson, 24, said they found digital videos and photographs depicting the sexual abuse of children.

Stephenson was being held in lieu of $750,000 bail, and a judge on Thursday added another $150,000 bail for three charges of aggravated child pornography and one charge of child pornography.

Stephenson coached for various local soccer programs in the Frankfort, Plainfield, and Joliet area and was a student teacher at Aux Sable Middle School in Joliet in the second semester of the 2008-09 school year.

He was charged last week with aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Police said he molested the boy between September and November.

Stephenson was ordered by a Will County judge to avoid any contact with minors should he post bail, and he is due to appear in court on July 5 for his preliminary hearing or arraignment on all charges.

Each aggravated child pornography charge carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.

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