A former Eastern Illinois University professor charged with eight counts of child solicitation on Feb. 18 is now facing two new charges. 

Craig Chesner, 67, is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography. The first offense was committed on May 21, 2024, and the second offense was committed on May 13, 2025. 

The offense from May 21, 2024, is listed as a class three felony for possession of an explicit image of a minor, and the offense from May 13, 2025, is listed as a class two felony for possession of an explicit image of a minor under the age of 13. 

The existing eight counts are class four felonies, which is the least serious of the six felony classes in Illinois.  

The initial eight charges stemmed from messaging one or more minors inappropriately over the internet, according to the charging documents.  

Coles County State’s Attorney Jesse Danley said Chesner was caught by a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which was then relayed to the police. 

He said the person in the second image appears to be older than the one in the first image, leading him to think they are images of two different people, but he isn’t certain. 

“It’s a rounding guess based on what we’re seeing,” Danley said. 

Defense attorney Sean Britton of Britton Law Offices LLC did not comment on the evidence related to Chesner’s new charges but reiterated that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. 

“Everyone has to be patient and wait,” Britton said. 

Chesner is currently being held in the Coles County Jail until his jury trial on July 28 at 8:30 a.m. 

Judge Mitchell Shick and Jenifer Schiavone of the Coles County State’s Attorney’s Office are still assigned to the case. 

Luke Brewer can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].