A former Illinois lawmaker was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday over accusations he disseminated private sexual images of two victims, according to officials.
The grand jury issued a 12-count indictment for ex-state Rep. Nick Sauer for "non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images involving two separate victims," all of which are felonies, according to a release from the Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim. The office did not elaborate on the incidents the charges stem from.
"Our office has been in communication with Mr. Sauer’s attorney and we expect him to surrender himself on these charges by [Thursday] morning," Nerheim said in a statement.
An investigation into Sauer began in late-July after the Illinois Legislative Inspector General Julie Porter informed the state's attorney's office of "possible criminal activities" by Sauer.
In August, a report surfaced alleging that Sauer used an ex-girlfriend's privately shared nude photos to "catfish other men" on Instagram.
Chicago police confirmed that an "obscenity report was generated by a 38-year-old victim on July 12" in which the victim claimed that a social media account "was created using her identity and photos."
Soon after, Sauer, a GOP lawmaker representing portions of the northern suburbs, submitted his letter of resignation saying "my ability to fulfill my obligations as a State Representative and public servant will be affected by the distraction of addressing these allegations."
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"After speaking with my family, I feel it best to step away from my public responsibilities," he wrote.
The first-term Lake Barrington Republican later withdrew his name from the November election ballot.
The release does not identify the two victims or say if Sauer's ex-girlfriend is one of them.
