IL Town learns of city worker's guilty plea to child porn charge - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

IL Town learns of city worker's guilty plea to child porn charge

By: Christine Souders

csouders@cbs4qc.com

Shocking news strikes residents in the small town of Abingdon, Illinois where they are is just  learning about a city worker pleading guilty to possessing child porn. 

Thomas Marshall, 53, pleaded guilty to a porn charge last Thursday.

Federal authorities would not release his mug shot.

City Leaders say they had no idea until a few days ago that one of their employees had been under investigation for 2 years.  

"He was due back to work Monday, and of course did not come back to work Monday.  Then we received the phone call that all this court business had transpired," said Abingdon Mayor Roger Stegall who said Thomas Marshall has been working for the city's water department for 22 years.

Unknown to city employees, since 2010, law enforcement has been investigating Marshall for having 66 child pornography videos and approximately 468 child pornography pictures registered to his home laptop.

Court documents show 13 of the videos and 54 photos are of missing or exploited children.

"For two years, we haven't been able to do anything about it because we didn't know," said Mayor Stegall.

City leaders aren't the only one's surprised.

Maria Delacruz is also just finding out about her next door neighbor, Thomas Marshall, "Hearing everything that's happened, it's frightening we've had more than just my kids, we've had so many other young kids, so to have this in your neighborhood it's really unfortunate."

Mayor Stegall said their committee is meeting Thursday to discuss Marshall's status as a city employee, "we are in a position to replace him."
 
Marshall is being held behind bars until his next day in court on December 13th.

He faces at least 5 years in federal prison for the child pornography charge.