Police: Child pornography found on phone dropped by vandalism suspect

A man who authorities say dropped his cellphone while vandalizing vehicles outside a Des Plaines business is facing felony charges alleging police found child pornography on the device.

Mark Chimon, 36, of the 9000 Block of North Clifton Avenue in Niles, is charged with child pornography and criminal damage to property as a result of an investigation launched April 20, Des Plaines police said Monday.

Police said officers responded that day to the 300 block of Potter Road in Des Plaines for a report of damage being done to vehicles and the property. The damage included a broken Ring camera, a cracked flowerpot, and broken side mirrors to two vehicles.

The property owner told police he located a cellphone on the ground where one of the vehicles was parked and believed it belonged to the person responsible for the damage, according to a police report.

Police said detectives later reviewed surveillance camera footage from the property and saw a man damage the vehicles, Ring camera and flowerpot, as well as drop a phone at the scene.

On April 29, detectives obtained a search warrant for the cellphone through the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and were able to determine Chimon was its owner, police said.

“During the execution of the warrant, multiple images sensitive in nature were located on the cellphone,” police also reported.

Chimon was arrested Thursday, police said. Prosecutors' motion for pretrial detention was denied and he was Saturday, pending a scheduled court appearance Tuesday at the Cook County courthouse in Skokie.