Police: Man with child porn on phone took pics of kid at Romeoville library

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Updated: March 3, 2012 11:42AM

ROMEOVILLE — Police say a man who used his phone to take pictures of a 9-year-old girl at the library Monday also had child pornography on the device.

Ernest P. Garza, 46, reportedly approached the girl around 5:20 p.m. at White Oak Library, 1400 W. Normantown Road, and asked to take photographs of her with his cell phone.

He took the pictures and went to another part of the library, but someone who saw what had happened got the girl’s mother, who had been waiting in the car, Assistant Chief Steve Lucchesi said. Police were notified.

Garza, of Romeoville, was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct. His phone was seized and he allegedly gave consent for police to look through its contents.

“They found several pornographic pictures of children,” Lucchesi said.

Garza was released on bond Monday night, but the investigation continued and police obtained a search warrant for the phone Tuesday.

“There were over 200 pornographic images on the phone. A number of them were of naked children,” Lucchesi said. “It appears he had downloaded them.”

An arrest warrant was issued, and Garza was located, arrested and booked into the county jail on a charge of possession of child pornography.