Local Man Arrested on Sex Offenses

(JONES)

A local man has been arrested on five counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault to a Child and one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse.

42-year-old Jason W. Jones of Effingham was arrested on Tuesday. Jones is being held in Effingham County Jail, and is set to have a pretrial detention hearing Thursday morning.

An investigation was initiated in late November after a report was made to Effingham City Police of an alleged sexual abuse. Effingham Police detectives discovered multiple reported victims during the initial investigation and are continuing to explore these leads. Additional charges may be added if the investigation uncovers further evidence of criminal activity.

Each count of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault to a Child is a Class X Felony and, if convicted, Jones faces a mandatory sentence of 6 – 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. If the Defendant were to be convicted of counts involving two different victims, he would be subject to a mandatory sentence of natural life in prison. Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse is a Class 2 Felony and carries a sentence of 3-7 years in prison.

Effingham City Police Chief Jason McFarland praised the detectives and officers who are working on this case, stating, "I want to commend our department for the exemplary work on this recent arrest. These are never easy cases for the victims, our community, or the investigating officers. The dedication, skill, and teamwork of all those involved have once again demonstrated the highest standards of law enforcement. The values of our department are upheld by offering dignity and compassion to the victims and their families, as well as effecting justice to the offender through a thorough and competent investigation.”