Roxana man netted in statewide child pornography sting

A Roxana man faces multiple charges for sexual assault and child pornography, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office said Friday.

Brian K. Cooper, 26, of the 300 block of Rohm Place in Roxana, is charged with one count each of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts each of child pornography involving videos (class X) and child pornography involving photos (class 1). He's being held in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Investigators from Madigan's office, along with Roxana police officers and U.S. Secret Service agents, conducted a search of Cooper's home, finding nearly 3,000 pictures and video depicting child pornography, officials said. Cooper was charged Thursday. According to a release from Madigan's office, Cooper's arrest was part of Operation Glass House, focused on investigating and arresting individuals actively downloading child porn who "present the greatest risk of assaulting children."

"In this case," Madigan said, "our investigation led to a very dangerous person who is now facing charges of sexually assaulting a child, as well as engaging in child pornography."

Cooper is the 39th person to be arrested since Madigan's office began Operation Glass House in 2010.

"The acts alleged in these charges represent some of the worst and darkest despicable acts that a person can commit," Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons said in the release. "Sexual assaults on children can cause deep and lasting emotional and physical scars that continue to traumatize victims long after the acts have ended. When those acts are recorded as child pornography, those children are re-victimized every time the recordings are viewed or transferred."