Former Illinois Lawmaker Keith Farnham Faces Child Porn Charges: ’12 Is About As Old As I Can Handle’

Keith Farnham, a former Democratic state representative out of Illinois, is facing four counts of possessing child pornography, according to the Chicago Tribune.

After being charged with one count in April, three more charges surfaced last week, along with some disturbing allegations taken from an online chat, the news site reported.

The 66-year-old was confined to his home after the initial charges, the US attorney’s office disclosed, adding that he would be arraigned on the new counts “at a later date.”

From the federal criminal complaint, the Tribune notes that Keith Farnham had possessed two videos depicting child porn on a computer that had been seized from his state office in Elgin a week before he abruptly resigned in March.

“Authorities also linked a Yahoo! email account used by Farnham to an online trading forum in which he chatted with other users about his sexual preferences,” the Tribune report added.

“[Twelve] is about as old as i can handle,” Farnham allegedly claimed in a November online chat, adding: “i love them at 6 7 8.”

Unfortunately, the allegations against Keith Farnham don’t end there. He also allegedly told “User A” that he had molested a 6-year-old girl, claiming, “i wish i had access to all the vids and pics ever made.”

Cyber crime authorities reportedly linked Yahoo! user ID kimdavid5582 to a Comcast account emanating from Farnham’s home “between last June and January [2014],” the Tribune noted.

What might shock some users, in addition to the allegations themselves, is the fact that Farnham, while in office, co-sponsored two bills designed to toughen child pornography penalties.

When he resigned on March 19, he said that it was because of “serious health concerns,” adding that he was “receiving treatment for bladder cancer and also struggles with pulmonary fibrosis,” a condition which causes scarring in lung tissue.

Unfortunately, Farnham isn’t alone among formerly trusted authority figures charged with child porn possession (or worse).

Earlier this month, The Inquisitr reported on a rabbi, Boy Scout leader, and former Chief of Police, who all faced charges following a New York sting led by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

In that case, the investigation turned up 600 desktop and laptop computers, tablets, smartphones and other devices, containing a total of 175 terabytes, or 179,200 Gigabytes of incriminating storage, ultimately leading to 70 arrests.

In the Keith Farnham case, it’s not yet clear what kind of penalties the former Illinois lawmaker might face, if found guilty. Much will hinge on whether authorities can prove any truth to his alleged admission of molesting a 6-year-old girl.

What punishment do you think child porn possession should warrant?

[Image via Flickr Creative Commons]