Former South Suburban Police Officer Charged with Sexual Assault, Child Porn Solicitation (Cook County, IL) – A former south suburban police officer already out on bond in a child pornography case is facing new charges after investigators accused him of having a sexual relationship with a juvenile and soliciting explicit material from the victim, authorities said.
Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced that 40-year-old Tory Bridgeforth, of Chicago, has been charged with criminal sexual assault and solicitation of child sexual abuse material following an investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Police.
According to investigators, the case began Feb. 26 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities to allegations that Bridgeforth was involved in a sexual relationship with a juvenile.
Sheriff’s police investigators determined that Bridgeforth allegedly requested and received nude videos from the juvenile victim and had sexual contact with the victim, officials said.
Bridgeforth was taken into custody by sheriff’s police investigators on March 4. The following day, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of criminal sexual assault and solicitation of child sexual abuse material.
At the time of his arrest, Bridgeforth was already free on a $500,000 D-bond related to a separate child pornography case stemming from a 2023 arrest by the Cook County Sheriff’s Police. A bench trial in that case had been scheduled for March 5, but Bridgeforth did not appear in court because he was in custody on the new charges.
Authorities said Bridgeforth previously served as a police officer with the Dixmoor Police Department until his termination in 2022. He also worked for the Robbins Police Department in 2019.
Following an initial court appearance March 6 at the Markham Courthouse, Bridgeforth was ordered held in custody at the Cook County Jail.
Authorities emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former South Suburban Police Officer Charged with Sexual Assault, Child Porn Solicitation
