A Freeport man’s appeal of a child pornography conviction was denied today by the Illinois Supreme court because he took and sent cell-phone pictures of a 17-year-old girl with whom he had sexual relations in 2008.
The pictures were found by the girl’s mother, who complained to police. Hollins was ultimately charged under child pornography provisions, which set 18 as the age of consent to be photographed in such circumstances. The age of consent for sexual activity is 17.
On appeal, Hollins complained that criminalizing photographof a legal act was a violation of the Illinois constitutional right to privacy.
The justices ruled 4-2 there was a reasonable basis for the separate age limit for consent and found no constitutional violation.