Missing Children’s Law Enforcement Award

Detective Anjanette Biswell, Quincy (IL) Police Department

Detective Biswell is the first officer trained to be a computer forensic specialist for the Quincy Police Department. In March 2012, while monitoring an Internet provider address, Detective Biswell became suspicious that images of child pornography that she had uncovered were being produced, downloaded, and distributed in Quincy. Detective Biswell remotely browsed a shared file and downloaded some of the images. Police showed sanitized copies of the images to several elementary school principals in town, and one of the principals positively identified three current or former students. The residence address of one of the students matched the residence address using the IP address. Detective Biswell obtained a search warrant for the residence. Police seized a large amount of computer equipment used in the crimes. Police arrested the suspect, a father of three children, and determined that his two sons, ages 7 and 4, and several of the boys’ friends were depicted in some of the images. Police interviewed the suspect, who admitted receiving, possessing, and distributing child pornography. He also admitted photographing his sons and two of their friends for purposes of child pornography. Detective Biswell subsequently located more than 500 images of child pornography on the suspect's computer. On September 5, 2012, the suspect pled guilty to two felonies and was sentenced to 22 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for aggravated child pornography. Detective Biswell's proactive investigative techniques and dedication to finding and arresting individuals distributing child pornography saved these children and potentially others from being subjected to further abuse.