A Geneseo man is in the Henry County Jail awaiting a detention hearing on child pornography and gun charges after a raid was conducted on his residence by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and local police. He was officially charged on June 5th with ten counts of possession of child pornography, possession of a gun without a FOID card, and possession of a short-barreled shotgun/rifle. The state has filed a petition to deny pretrial release. We will update this article when his first appearance and detention hearings are scheduled.
Update: Paul Higgins will remain in pre-trial detention until further notice. He will have a detention hearing at each court hearing. A Preliminary Hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2024, at 2 PM.
Paul Higgins is charged with ten counts of Possession of Child Pornography/Victim <13 (Class 2 Felony), Possession of a Short Barrel Shotgun/Rifle (Class 3 Felony), and Possession of a Firearm Without FOID (Class A Misdemeanor).
Authorities arrested 72-year-old Paul Douglas Higgins following a raid on his home at 132 North Vail Street. This action, led by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and local police as part of the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, uncovered numerous images and videos of suspected child pornography. During the search, law enforcement also seized multiple firearms, including one illegally designed by state and federal laws.