Charleston, IL-(Mattoon Radio)- A former Eastern Illinois University professor already facing eight counts of child solicitation, is now confronted with two additional felony charges.
Craig Chesner, 67, has been charged with two counts of possession of child pornography. The first offense is alleged to have occurred on May 21, 2024, and is listed as a Class 3 felony for possession of an explicit image of a minor. The second charge allegedly occurred on May 13, 2025, and is listed as a more serious Class 2 felony, since it involves an explicit image of a minor under the age of 13.
The original eight charges against Chesner, filed back in February 2026, are all Class 4 felonies, and stem from allegations that he messaged one or more minors inappropriately online.
Coles County State’s Attorney Jesse Danley said the case originated from a cyber tip submitted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which was then passed along to our local police. Danley noted that the individual pictured in the second image appears to be older than the individual in the first, leading investigators to believe the two images may depict different people.
Defense Attorney Sean Britton declined to comment on the evidence tied to the new charges, but reiterated that his client remains innocent until proven guilty. Britton reportedly said “everyone has to be patient and wait,” according to an article posted by Daily Eastern News.
Chesner remains in custody at the Coles County Jail. His jury trial is scheduled for July 28th at 8:30 a.m. Judge Mitchell Shick and Assistant State’s Attorney Jenifer Schiavone will continue to be assigned to this case.
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