Man Had Massive Child Porn Collection: AG

Allen Ayen "one of the most prolific" traders, Attorney General Lisa Madigan says

Nearly 2,000 images depicting child pornography have been found on the home computer of a Lake County man, authorities say.

Allen Ayen, 62, of Park City, has been charged with five counts of aggravated child pornography, a Class 2 felony that carries a sentence of three to seven years in prison.

In announcing the charges, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Ayen is "one of the most prolific" child porn traders in the county.

Ayen had the videos and images well-organized on his computers, with most of the children depicted appearing to be under the age of 7, said Dean Kharasch, an investigator for the Lake County state's attorney's office, according to the Daily Herald.

He was ordered held on $500,000 bond during a court appearance Thursday.  When told he wound need to post 10 percent of that in order to be released, he told the court that he doesn't "make that in a year."

Ayen told the judge that he is retired and lives on Social Security benefits with his disabled wife.

From her home, Ayen's wife said she is the real victim of his alleged crime.

"I lost my husband yesterday, essentially, as if he died," said Sherry Ayen.  "I'm the one who is going to suffer.  And I had no knowledge."

She said she doesn't believe prison is the right place for her husband and that he would be better helped through therapy.

"I think he needs help and I'm still going to stay married to him.  And I'm still going to stand behind him as long as I live," she said, as a single tear fell down her cheek.

Ayen's arrest is the fifth since Madigan's office launched an initiative to track child porn traders by the computer's specific Internet address.

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