Copyright Shaw Local Enewspapers
A Crystal Lake man with two pending cases from 2021, alleging that he solicited and possessed images of child sex abuse, has been detained again on new, similar charges. David Kurth, 32, is charged with soliciting child sex abuse images, a Class 1 felony, and grooming, court records show. Between Aug. 20, 2023, and Oct. 18, 2024, Kurth used a computer or device “to solicit, lure and entice ... a female child [he] knew to be under the age of 18 years to distribute photographs depicting the sex organs of the child, and to continue to engage in a romantic/sexually explicit relationship,” according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court. Assistant State’s Attorney Sawyer Schexnider argued that Kurth is a danger to the 14-year-old New Jersey girl he met while playing a video game, as well as to any other minor he may have contact with, and should be detained in the county jail pretrial. Schexnider alleged that Kurth used multiple phone numbers and social media platforms to communicate with the girl and exchange sexually explicit images. When the girl tried to cut off contact, Kurth became “pushy” and said, “Let’s work through our issues,” Schexnider said, adding that Kurth is accused of exchanging more than 9,000 text messages and had hundreds of FaceTime calls with the girl. On social media and gaming sites, Kurth used the nickname “Cheese,” Schexnider said. The prosecutor said Kurth told the girl, “I want to see more pictures. Let’s see what you got,” and told her she “better take sexy pictures.” Kurth allegedly engaged in these illegal acts while he had two pending cases from 2021 with similar accusations. In August 2021, the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Kurth with 11 counts of possessing videos of children being sexually abused, Class 2 felonies. In October 2021, prosecutors filed a second case charging Kurth with soliciting and possessing videos of children being sexually abused, Class X felonies, according to documents in McHenry County court. Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger argued for Kurth’s pretrial release from jail with court monitoring and restrictions from using the internet. He told the judge that Kurth lives with his mother and stepfather and works for his stepfather. Kurth has mental health issues, including severe depression, for which he is in weekly therapy and medicated, Giesinger said. But Schexnider argued that Kurth engaged in the illegal behavior with two similar cases pending, showing that “he won’t stop.” The prosecutor said Kurth could find access to the internet and online gaming anywhere, and he had committed the alleged offenses in “the comfort of his own home.” Judge Cynthia Lamb agreed with the prosecutor and detained Kurth in the county jail pretrial. She said Kurth poses a threat, and no conditions could protect the child or other minors from him. Kurth “befriended a 14-year-old minor female and used several different phone numbers, emails and social media accounts to solicit nude photographs while released on bond” in the 2021 cases, Lamb said. He “sent nude photos of himself to the victim, groomed the victim, coerced her into sending nude photos and videos to him. [Kurth] convinced this child that they were in a dating relationship in order to get her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself.” In the first 2021 case, when cash bond was still in place in Illinois, Kurth had posted $4,000 of a $40,000 bond and was released from jail pretrial. When arrested in the second case, he posted $10,000 of a $100,000 bond and was again released pretrial. His pretrial release has since been revoked, court records show.
