JEFFERSON COUNTY — A 66-year-old Mt. Vernon man pleaded guilty Wednesday in Jefferson County court to four of 20 Class X felony child pornography charges against him and was sentenced to 24-years in prison.

Aaron Thomas was arrested on three of the Class X felony charges in July 2018, after Jefferson County Sheriff’s detectives had spent several months gathering evidence to obtain a search warrant for his home.

Deputies at that time reportedly seized a computer and other items from Thomas’ home and found child pornography.

That evidence was then taken to Jefferson County State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun and he presented the evidence to a judge who issued a warrant for Thomas’ arrest.

Thomas was initially indicted on three counts Class X felony possession of child pornography depicting a child under the age of 13, but that number was later increased to 20 Class X felony counts.

On Wednesday Thomas agreed to plead guilty to four of the 20 counts in exchange for the other charges being dismissed.

He also agreed to serve 6-years on each count in the Illinois Department of Corrections to be served consecutively.