Shorewood Piano Tuner's Kiddie Porn Case Slated to Start

A Shorewood piano tuner charged with possessing child pornograpy was expected to go to trial today.

James Severson, 56, has been free on bond since shortly after his arrest more than four years ago.

It was not known Monday morning whether his case would go before a jury or be heard by Will County Judge Sarah Jones.

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office will be joined in Severson's prosecution by a lawyer from the Illinois Attorney General's office.

At the time of his arrest in May 2008, Severson lived on Mazalin Drive in Shorewood with his wife, Margaret DeLeon, and DeLeon's 14-year-old daughter.

Severson dodged a trip to the county jail following his arrest by posting $4,000 bond for his release at the station.

The Shorewood police focused on Severson after DeLeon alerted them to his alleged possession of child pornography by seeking a court order to keep him away from her.

DeLeon wrote in her petition for the order. "This website contains child pornography and I feel that if he finds out that I know about this website he could become violent with me or my daughter, who is 14.

"He is a former Marine and in the past has stated 'he knows how to kill people,'" DeLeon wrote in the petition.

Besides being a former Marine with a reputed knowledge of killing, Severson was also a self-employed piano tuner at the time of his arrest.

The police scoured Severson's computer and found images of child pornography along with a video entitled "Our Summer Thai Childf--- Vacation," according to court papers.

The 28-minute, 29-second video depicted nude girls between the ages of 6 and 12 "engaging in acts of sexual penetration," according to court papers.

DeLeon has been subpoenaed to testify against Severson.