Former metro-east cop charged in nationwide sting of child sex predators

The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday announced the results of a nationwide sweep targeting known child sex offenders.

Among the 293 arrests was a former Marissa police officer. Robert Jackowski, 31, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois with one count of transportation of child pornography in St. Clair County.

An Allen, Texas, man also faces charges stemming from criminal allegations in St. Clair County. Matthew A. Nevle, 27, has been charged with interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of enticement of a minor, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

The indictment against Jackowski alleges that between May 23 and Nov. 4, he possessed photographs of a minor engaging in explicit sexual conduct and in the “lascivious exhibition” of their genitals.

Jackowski was granted pretrial release, provided he supplies DNA samples and appears personally at all court hearings, among other conditions, court records show.

According to a release from the Village of Marissa posted on social media, Jackowski was sworn in as a part-time police officer on June 17, 2024. Chief of Police Laura Ottens could not immediately be reached Monday for comment. The Mount Vernon Police Department confirmed that Jackowski previously served as an officer there from February 2020 to January 2022.

The three-count indictment against Nevle alleges that, beginning in early June, he persuaded his victim to “engage in sexually explicit conduct” so that photographs could be produced and distributed by mail.

Then, “on or about Aug. 7,” he traveled to St. Clair County to engage in “illicit sexual conduct” with a minor “who had not attained the age of 18 years.”

As of Monday, Nevle was being held in the Phelps County Jail in Rolla, Missouri. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis on Jan. 12, according to court records.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern Illinois, Operation Relentless Justice was a coordinated effort by the FBI, DOJ and other law enforcement agencies to “identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.”

The sting, which lasted from Dec. 3 to Dec. 17, resulted in the identification of more than 205 victims.

“Sex offenders disgrace our communities, preying on the innocence of vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Through Operation Relentless Justice, the Southern District of Illinois condemns these heinous acts and stands resolute with our law enforcement partners to eradicate this evil, protect our children, and deliver unwavering justice to those offenders.”

Besides Jackowski and Nevle, two others were charged in the Southern District of Illinois in relation to the sting:

• Zachary R. Jones, 38, of Johnston City, was charged on three counts of distribution of child pornography in Williamson County.
• Nicholas R. Emper, 43, of Sea Isle City, New Jersey, was charged on one count of attempted solicitation of child pornography, also in Williamson County.

Anyone who knows about or suspects abuse of a child is urged by the Department of Justice to call the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST. The FBI also administers a tipline at 1-800-225-5324.

This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Former metro-east cop charged in nationwide sting of child sex predators."