A widely-known designer in the pinball machine industry has been charged for keeping child pornography on his computer at his west suburban home.
Glendale Heights Police said that John Trudeau, 69, faces two felony counts of possession of pornography after authorities conducted a search on his home in the first block of Medinah Circle on Thursday.
Trudeau became known in the pinball industry for designing dozens of pinball machines as far back as the late 1970s. He is currently a senior game designer at Stern Pinball Inc., a design and manufacturing company in Elk Grove Village.
Jeff Patterson from This Week in Pinball blog- a site dedicated to the niche gaming board- acknowledges that Trudeau has been part or lead of the design team for several famous pinball machines, including Ghostbusters, Creature from the Black Lagoon, as well as many others over the past decades.
Patterson confessed their industry has been shocked with the charges against Trudeau. He said: “Understandably, the people I’ve talked to in the pinball community have been shocked and very disturbed by the allegations.”
Trudeau has been recognized as well for his works that include Rocky, Chicago Cubs Triple Play and The Flintstones.
Police didn’t reveal what led investigators to Trudeau in the child pornography probe, and if they acted on a tip.
Trudeau happened to be home Thursday morning when Glendale heights police and DuPage County sheriff’s officers executed a search warrant. The officers seized electronics “which contained numerous computerized files” of illegal images.
The pinball machine designer was able to post bond, and was released from the DuPage County jail over the weekend. Records show his next court date has yet to be set. The suspect also declined to give comments to media.
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