BENTON, Ill. – yesterday, a former teacher aide appeared in federal court to face two federal charges for sexual exploitation of a child. He was ordered detained pending trial by a federal magistrate judge. Austin L. Knoob, 32, of Carbondale is facing two counts for sexual exploitation of a child. The allegations stem from events occurring in August 2025 and April 2026. According to a criminal complaint filed August 14, Knoob is accused of communicating with a minor victim to request and receive child sexual abuse material from the minor victim. Knoob is also accused of uploading and sending child sexual abuse material involving the minor victim to online groups. According to court documents, Knoob was employed as a teacher aide at Carbondale Community High School for the 2025-2026 school year. “The facts alleged in the complaint paint a chilling picture of how online predators create real-world danger across state lines—from a victim identified in Boston to the defendant’s conduct in Carbondale, said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “We aggressively prosecute these cases because keeping children safe is a top priority.” “Predators are increasingly turning to digital spaces to harm children, but the FBI is equally committed to using every tool and resource available to uncover that conduct,” said FBI Springfield’s Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “The allegations in this case are deeply troubling, and we will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to protect children and bring to justice anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
A complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
FBI Marion is investigating with support from the FBI Boston Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Bloodworth is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This story was updated on August 25, 2026 to correct Defendant's age from 33 to 32.