Feds: Columbia College Prof had Child Porn on Computer

Chicago - A Columbia College Chicago professor was arrested and charged Thursday after federal agents conducting a search warrant allegedly found child pornography on a computer in his west suburban home.

Kevin Fuller, 41, of Oak Park is charged in a federal criminal complaint with knowingly transporting child pornography, according to a U.S. Attorney's office release.

Fuller, who is employed as a professor at Columbia College, allegedly used an e-mail account to distribute child pornography since at least Feburary 2008. He was charged specifically with sending child pornography via a particular Google e-mail address on April 28, 2009, the release said.

A preliminary review of a computer found in his home during the Thursday search showed images of infants and prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit activity, according to the complaint.

An analysis of IP addresses related to Fuller's Google mail account shows he accessed his account from two locations, his home and 65 times from a computer at Columbia College, the complaint said.

Fuller appeared in U.S. District Court on Thursday and was ordered held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center pending a detention hearing at 11 a.m. Monday, according to U.S. Attorney's office spokesman Randall Samborn.

Transporting child pornography carries a mandatory miniumum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to the release. A fine of up to $250,000 can also be imposed, the release said.

Fuller is listed as a faculty member in the Dept. of Mathematics and Science, according to a faculty profile on Columbia's Web site. A college spokesperson was not available for comment Thursday afternoon.

Fuller received a bachelor's degree in biology from Duke and a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and cell biology from the University of Chicago, according to the online profile.