U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation

2111 West Roosevelt Road Chicago, Illinois 60608 (312) 421-6700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 19, 2007	Chicago FBI Press Office Phone: (312) 829-1199

RICHTON PARK FIREFIGHTER ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of JOHN M. KOWALSKI, age 35, of 3609 Peoria in Steger, Illinois. KOWALSKI was arrested earlier today, without incident, by FBI Special Agents at the Richton Park, Illinois fire station where he is employed as a firefighter. KOWALSKI was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, yesterday afternoon, with Possession of Child Pornography, which is a felony offense. According to the complaint, an individual using the screen name of “MICHFIRE69” began interacting with an undercover FBI Special Agent (UCSA) in Buffalo, New York, starting in January of 2006 and continuing until July of 2007. The UCSA was investigating the on-line distribution of child pornography as part of the FBI’s Innocent Images initiative. During the course of their interaction, the complaint alleges that the individual using the “MICHFIRE69” sent numerous e-mails to the UCSA which contained pornographic images of children. Subsequent investigation by the FBI in Chicago identified the user of screen name “MICHFIRE69” as KOWALSKI. In announcing this arrest, Mr. Grant extends his appreciation to both the Richton Park Fire Department, where KOWALSKI was employed as a full-time firefighter and the Steger Fire Department, where KOWALSKI was a volunteer fireman, both of whom cooperated with the investigation. Established in 1996 to combat the on-line exploitation of minors, the Innocent Images initiative is now a nationwide effort involving all 56 FBI Field Offices. The initiative targets individuals involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of child pornography. KOWALSKI is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez in Chicago, later today, at which time he will be formally charged. If convicted of the charges that are pending against him, KOWALSKI faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years incarceration. The public is reminded that a complaint in not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR’S NOTE: A copy of the criminal complaint filed in this case is available from the Chicago FBI’s press office at (312) 829-1199.

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