MANHATTAN, IL — A 26-year-old Manhattan man arrested last November on child pornography allegations now has nearly two dozen charges filed against him, according to court records.
Jacob Jarvis, of the 500 block of North Street, was initially charged with six counts of possession of child pornography. Last week, the Will County State’s Attorney overrode that indictment, pursuing instead charges on 22 counts of possession of child pornography, moving depiction.
In September 2024, Manhattan police assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information from police in Hastings, Nebraska regarding a Manhattan resident who was downloading and sharing child pornography through an online mobile application, police said. An investigation helped police identify Jarvis as the suspect and user of the mobile application.
In August 2025, Manhattan police executed a search warrant with the assistance of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. Police took possession of Jarvis’s electronic devices, which police said contained evidence of child pornography.
Originally scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on the earlier charges Feb. 4, Jarvis was indicted on the newest charges that day. He has entered a plea of not guilty, and is next due in court April 8.
“We’re thankful for the working relationship and the assistance of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case to the fullest extent of the law,” said Manhattan Police Chief Ryan Gulli.
“It’ll always be the priority of the Manhattan Police Department to protect our most vulnerable—our kids.”
Gulli said the investigation was completed with the help of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing over 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement, dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children.
The Manhattan Police Department joined that effort two years ago, Gulli said.