Staunton Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material
Stephen Hokhold pleaded guilty to five felony counts involving victims under 13; the sentence followed a search of his Staunton residence in April 2025.
STAUNTON — A Staunton man was sentenced Monday to 22 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material involving victims younger than 13, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced.
Stephen Hokhold, 36, was sentenced in Macoupin County Circuit Court after pleading guilty in June to five Class 2 felony counts of possession of child pornography. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing collaboration with federal and local law enforcement agencies to apprehend people who download and trade child sexual abuse material online.
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In April 2025, investigators from Raoul’s office and officers from the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office and Staunton Police Department searched Hokhold’s residence. He was taken into custody after investigators discovered evidence of child sexual abuse material.
“Survivors can face a lifetime of trauma from child exploitation so it is my hope that this sentence will help facilitate healing for them and their families,” Raoul said. “I am proud of the work of my Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the collaboration with local law enforcement in holding this offender accountable.”
Raoul’s office prosecuted the case with assistance from Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison’s office. Deputy Bureau Chief Shantikumar Kulkarni handled the prosecution for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
“Today shows this type of horrific criminality will be met with swift and severe justice,” Garrison said. “I want to thank the Office of the Attorney General for their continued partnership and especially the work of Investigator Larry Rayburn.”
Raoul’s office operates the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The task force investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies.
The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child sexual abuse material, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Reports to the Illinois task force increased 45% in 2025 compared with 2024, according to Raoul’s office.
One of 61 such task forces nationwide, the Illinois network includes more than 200 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, it has received more than 82,900 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 1,150 arrests, Raoul’s office said. In 2025, it was involved in rescuing more than 30 children from ongoing abuse.
The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to more than 1 million parents, teachers and students, as well as more than 25,000 law enforcement professionals.
Attorney General Raoul is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
Deputy Bureau Chief Shantikumar Kulkarni prosecuted the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
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