As Halloween nears, charges against a 29-year-old St. Charles man serve as a cautionary reminder that no town is exempt from the dangers of child sexual predators.

The St. Charles man faces criminal charges for soliciting a sexual act with a child, sending lewd images to a child and traveling to a child’s residence with the intent to engage in a sex act with the child.

Peter I. Madsen

Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon has charged Peter I. Madsen with the offenses of:

• Traveling to meet a minor, a Class 3 felony,
• Indecent solicitation of a child, a Class 4 felony.
• Grooming, a Class 4 felony.
• Solicitation to meet a child, a Class A misdemeanor.
• Distributing harmful material to a child, a Class A misdemeanor.

Kane County prosecutors allege that on Oct. 3, 2019, Madsen traveled to meet a child he met through Internet communication and he believed was 15 years old with the intent of engaging in a sex act.

Prosecutors and police allege Madsen discussed engaging in a sex act with the child, went to a location in St. Charles where he believed the 15-year-old was and provided lewd images of himself to the child.

According to St. Charles police, between Oct. 1 and Oct. 3, Madsen allegedly initiated a conversation through a computer server with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. After learning the child’s age, Madsen sent lewd images and a lewd video to the child, asked to meet the child in person, solicited sexual acts with the child and asked the child for nude pictures of herself.

Madsen allegedly asked to meet with the child at her home in St. Charles when her mother was not home. When the child said her mother was gone, Madsen told the child he was coming over.

St. Charles police placed Madsen under arrest when he arrived at the address. Madsen actually communicated with a St. Charles police detective, not a child.

St. Charles police became aware of Madsen when a computer server operator contacted them and informed them that they believed someone in St. Charles had been sending lewd images to several children through the server.

A Kane County judge on Oct. 10, 2019, issued a warrant for Madsen’s arrest and set his bail at $40,000, with 10 percent ($4,000) to apply for bond.

Madsen surrendered to St. Charles police on Oct. 14, 2019, posted $4,000 bond and was released. His initial court appearance is set for 9 a.m. Oct. 31, 2019.

The charges against Madsen are not proof of guilt. Madsen is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.