Wadsworth Man Arrested for Downloading 200,000 Child Abuse Files

Steven C. Kazmer, a 74-year-old man from Wadsworth, was arrested on July 8, 2026, after investigators found nearly 200,000 files of child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices. The investigation began when the Lake County Cyber Crimes Lab flagged suspicious activity on a peer-to-peer network. Following a warrant execution, multiple devices were seized, revealing a significant cache of child pornography, including many deleted files. Kazmer faces eight counts of child pornography and is currently held in custody, with a court date set for August 5, 2026. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of local law enforcement and the Illinois Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to combat online child exploitation. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving local police and state cybercrime specialists.

Key Points: • Steven C. Kazmer was arrested for possessing nearly 200,000 child abuse files. • The investigation was initiated by the Lake County Cyber Crimes Lab after detecting file sharing. • Kazmer faces eight counts of child pornography and is currently in custody awaiting trial.