Illinois State Police Arrests Child Sex Offender at Trunk or Treat Event
ISP provides safety information to help keep kids safe this Halloween
October 30, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2026
KANKAKEE – The Illinois State Police (ISP) arrested a registered child sex offender earlier this week at a church Halloween Trunk or Treat event in St. Anne, IL.
On October 28, 2026, ISP arrested 52-year-old Mitchel R. DeYoung of St. Anne, IL after he was located at a Trunk or Treat event. DeYoung is charged with eight counts of Failure to Register as a Child Sex Offender (Class 2 Felony), one count of Child Sex Offender in a School Zone (Class 4 Felony), and one count of Child Sex Offender Participation in a Holiday Event (Class 4 Felony). He is being held at the Kankakee County Jail pending his first court appearance.
Registered sex offenders are prohibited from passing out candy on Halloween. They may not appear in a Halloween costume or other child-centered holiday character, such as Santa or the Easter Bunny, in public.
Before heading out for trick-or-treating, parents and guardians can check for registered sex offenders in their area on the ISP Sex Offender Registry website at https://sor.isp.illinois.gov/sorpublic/map. The interactive website allows users to track offenders’ home addresses, which sends notifications to participants when a registered offender moves in or out of a given radius around the provided address.
When trick-or-treating, children should be supervised by a trusted adult and should never enter strangers’ homes or vehicles. ISP urges trick-or-treaters to travel in well-lit areas and in groups.
The charges against are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###