Gurnee police youth program adviser charged with possessing child pornography

A man who advised a Gurnee police youth program was arrested Tuesday on child pornography charges in the north suburbs.

Mitchell S. Rowan, 23, is charged in Lake County with three felony counts of possessing child pornography, Gurnee police said in a statement.

Rowan, of Beach Park, worked as an associate advisor and community service officer with the Gurnee Police Explorer program, police said.

In March, officers learned that Rowan was “inappropriately communicating with minors” over text messages and social media, police said. His alleged victims were 16 years old and part of the Police Explorer youth program.

He was immediately fired when the manager of his program learned of the allegations, police said.

The Police Explorer program helps people between 15 to 20-years-old develop life skills and an interest in law enforcement careers, according to the Gurnee police website.

Investigators examined Rowan’s social media accounts and an electronic device that had about one terabyte of data, police said. Rowan was ordered held on a $100,000 bail.

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