Pekin, Illinois – Mark Steven Peterson, 42, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor, followed by five years of supervised release and mandatory sex offender registration. U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley delivered the sentence on June 18, 2026, in Peoria.
Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing revealed that in April 2025, Peterson engaged in online conversations with an individual he believed to be the stepfather of a 10-year-old girl. During these exchanges, he discussed specific sexual acts and arranged a meeting. Peterson then traveled from Pekin to Peoria for the intended sexual encounter, where he was subsequently arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.
A federal grand jury indicted Peterson in May 2025. After being released on bond in July 2025, he was arrested the following month for a pre-trial release violation. Peterson pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor in December 2025 and has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his August 2025 arrest. This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative combating child sexual exploitation.