Police say Port Barrington man, 77, had explicit video chat with child, offered pot for sex acts

Huntley police allege that a 77-year-old Port Barrington man asked a child to perform a sex act over a video chat, initiated sexually explicit texts, arranged to meet the child and “offered cannabis in exchange for sexual acts.”

Robert Wilkinson is charged with two counts of soliciting a child to perform a sex act, which are Class X felonies, and soliciting to meet a child for unlawful purposes, according to Huntley police and a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court.

Wilkinson was arrested Thursday at his home. On Friday, he made his first appearance in court, where Judge Mark Gerhardt granted Wilkinson’s pretrial release from jail.

The investigation began this month, when a mother reported to police that she found “disturbing content on her 14-year-old son’s phone,” according to a news release from Huntley police.

“It appeared the juvenile was communicating with multiple unidentified adults, who were exchanging images of child pornography with the juvenile,” according to the release.

Police reviewed the child’s devices and “found conversations on various social media and communication applications in which unidentified adults initiated sexually explicit text. Huntley police detectives located a messaging chain through Skype, in which an unidentified adult male initiated sexually explicit text and live video conversations with the victim after the juvenile disclosed his age,” according to the release.

The adult allegedly “tried to arrange meetings with the juvenile and offered to provide cannabis products in exchange for sexual acts,” according to the release.

Police said the anonymous nature of the platforms used made it difficult to identify the suspect, but they “worked diligently,” retrieving “data from devices” and filing “multiple search warrants and subpoenas for different online accounts” before eventually identifying Wilkinson.

He was interviewed at his home Thursday by Huntley police with the assistance of McHenry County sheriff’s deputies and was arrested. Police said the investigation is still active.

“Use of a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach was especially important in this investigation due to the nature of the allegations and the age of the victim,” police said. “The victim and his family were kept informed of the process, and we moved forward at a speed that was comfortable for them.”

Huntley police thanked the child advocacy centers of McHenry County and Walworth County, Wisconsin, for assisting.

“The victim has received the resources he needs to begin healing from this terrible event,” police said. “Parents are reminded that it is crucial to discuss online risks with their children. Monitor their online presence and who they are interacting with. Encourage open and honest communication about online activities, and remind them to never share personal information with strangers or agree to meet someone they have only interacted with online.”

Additional resources can be found on the U.S. Department of Justice website at justice.gov/criminal/criminal-ceos/keeping-children-safe-online.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Huntley police at 847-515-5311. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Huntley police tipline at 847-515-5333.

Wilkinson, who faces decades in prison if he is convicted on the more serious Class X felonies, is due in court July 28.