Savoy, Illinois Man Sentenced to 15 years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Peoria, Ill. – A Savoy, Illinois man, David Berry, of the 800 block of Hartwell, has been sentenced to 180 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender, for the sexual exploitation of a minor.

At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that in October of 2021, Berry brought a minor to his home, sexually assaulted her, and recorded the acts on video.

During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mihm noted that Berry was responsible for trauma caused to the minor and ordered a $6,140 restitution amount.

Berry was indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in February of 2022. He pleaded guilty in September of 2023.

The statutory penalties for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor are 15 to 30 years in prison, and 5 years to life term of supervised release.

The U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Champaign County Sherriff’s Office, the Urbana Police Department, and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office participated in the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien, who is also the Deputy Bureau Chief in the High Tech Crimes Bureau for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, represented the government in the prosecution.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.