Beardstown Man Pleads Guilty To Reproduction & Selling Child Porn

By Benjamin Cox on February 5, 2021 at 7:03pm

A Beardstown man arrested on several counts of child pornography involving victims under the age of 13 and a bestiality charge in July 2020 plead guilty to one count in Cass County Court on January 21st.

23 year old Dalton M. Gallaher of Beardstown was arrested in July 2020 after a 4-month investigation by Illinois State Police and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The investigation began in March 2020 after authorities were alerted to Gallaher allegedly distributing child pornography online. On July 7th, he was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography of a victim under the age of 13, 5 counts of reproducing or selling child pornography, and one count of sex with an animal.

On January 21st, Gallaher plead guilty to one count of reproducing or selling in front of Cass County Circuit Judge T.J. Wessel. Gallaher was sentenced to 36 months probation, with credit for 81 days served in county jail. Gallaher was also assessed over $3,900 in fines. According to court documents, Gallaher must also register as a sex offender and must also have no contact on social media or Internet contact with minors. Gallaher will also have 4 separate assessments by the court during his probation, with the first hearing set for April 5th.