Collinsville Police Charge Edwardsville Parks Worker With Child Sexual Abuse Material

COLLINSVILLE – A Collinsville resident and Edwardsville Parks & Recreation employee faces major felony charges after allegedly reproducing videos of child sexual abuse material.

Keith Grotefendt, 52, of the 700 block of Maple Street in Collinsville, was charged in Madison County court on July 23, 2026 with six Class X felony counts of child sexual abuse material.

Grotefendt allegedly captured multiple screen recordings of video files depicting sexual acts between adults, infants, and toddlers hosted on the social media platform X. He reportedly made these recordings on six different occasions spanning April 13 to May 12, 2026.

Grotefendt was listed on the City of Edwardsville’s website as a parks laborer foreman with the Parks & Recreation Department in a now-removed Staff Directory listing. City officials confirmed in a statement Thursday afternoon that Grotefendt has been a Parks employee since 2018.

“The City of Edwardsville is aware of a serious allegation involving a Parks & Recreation employee,” according to the city’s statement. “This employee’s primary role with the City has been parks maintenance, groundskeeping and supervision of the parks laborers. He has not been involved with planning, organizing or running our Parks & Recreation programs.

“The safety and security of our residents, park visitors and employees is the highest priority for the City of Edwardsville. These allegations are deeply disturbing and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement. Out of respect for the legal process underway, the City will not comment further at this time.”

The city asked the public to direct all inquiries or information regarding the charges or investigation to the Collinsville Police Department at 618-344-2131.

Collinsville Police officers opened the investigation after receiving a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, of which Grotefendt was the subject.

Officers executed a search warrant at Grotefendt’s home on July 22, 2026 before he was taken into custody and interviewed, according to the state’s petition to deny his pretrial release from custody. The petition adds that “a search of his phone revealed numerous items of Child Sexual Abuse Material.”

Grotefendt currently remains in custody at the Madison County Jail pending trial in the case presented by the Collinsville Police Department.

All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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