Shannon Harkins - Repeat Sex Offender - Sexting Repeater

Springfield police said a registered Tier Two sex offender is back in jail after he allegedly sent child porn from his cell phone.

Authorities said one of the people Shannon Harkins sent the sexually explicit images to, reported him to the police. Now Harkins is facing new felony charges.

Harkins, 33, was already on parole for unlawful sexual contact with a minor, when police said they received information that he was committing sex crimes involving children once again.

Police said Harkins pressed the "send" button over and over again.

Noel Lopez said, "This individual was transmitting sexually oriented material involving a minor from his cell phone."

Authorities said Harkins sent pictures of child porn to several other people and he wasn't trying to hid behind the technology. "He sent a photo with material depicting his face," said Lopez.

When one of the recipients opened the sexually-explicit content, it was easy for them to show police who was committing the crime.

As it turned out, it was a person that police were already familiar with. Harkins had already served time for raping a child in Champaign County.

Police said they do not believe the child victims in the photos are local children.

Harkins was indicted on charges of pandering obscenity and sexually oriented material involving a minor.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte

"On average most sex offenders are never caught again for a new sex offense, after five years, between 10 and 15 percent of sex offenders are detected, often convicted, of committing a new sex offense. If you follow them for ten years the rates go up somewhat, if you follow them as long as we’ve been able to follow them, which is about 20 years, the rates go up to somewhere between 30 to 40 percent of the total sample will eventually be caught for a new sex offense."

Dr. R. Karl Hansen