Illinois Attorney General charges Galena officer with possessing child sex abuse material

The Illinois Attorney General has charged a Galena police officer for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. 23-year-old Eli Barthel of Freeport is charged with two Class 2 felony counts of possession of child sexual assault material and one Class 3 felony count of child sexual assault material possession. A search of Barthel’s residence resulted in his arrest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) assisted with the investigation. According to a Facebook post by the Galena Police Department, Barthel has been placed on administrative leave pending termination.