McLean County man accused of grooming ‘child’ by sending illicit material

Posted on April 18, 2024

*^{Once they had enough evidence, Cooper said his officer contacted the authorities in McLean County to go and pick up Philips for questioning. (WJBC File Photo)}*

By WMBD-TV

PEORIA – A rural McLean County man is in jail Wednesday after being arrested the day before for allegedly grooming and exploiting children for sexual reasons.

Matthew V. Phillips, 35, of Stanford, a small village of 600 in the eastern part of the county, was booked into the Peoria County Jail on charges of allegedly grooming, distributing harmful materials to a minor and soliciting children.

As of Wednesday morning, he had not yet been formally charged and remains in the jail. A hearing for pretrial detention had also not been set.

He’s accused of trying to entice what he thought was a young child in Chillicothe on April 16. Instead, it was an undercover officer, said the city’s Police Chief Jeremy Cooper.

Phillips allegedly sent illicit material to the “teen,” which was then collected by the undercover officer. Once they had enough evidence, Cooper said his officer contacted the authorities in McLean County to go and pick up Philips for questioning.

Chillicothe police officers have been busy on such sting operations. They arrested two people in February whose cases are still pending on similar charges.

WMBD-TV can be reached at [email protected].

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