University News
Arrest Warrant Obtained for Suspect in '98 Sexual Assault of Co-eds
February 27, 2001
A two-count aggravated kidnapping and six-count aggravated criminal sexual assault arrest warrant was obtained by McDonough County States Attorney William
Poncin and Assistant States Attorney Pat O'Brien for a March 7, 1998 incident where two female Western Illinois University students were abducted from a University parking lot and sexually assaulted in rural McDonough County. Bond on the Class X felonies was set at $1 million by McDonough County Judge John Clerkin.
According to Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety (OPS) Captain Chris Jagielo, the arrest warrant identified the offender by his DNA profile based on evidence collected from the victims and at the scene. Jagielo said the perpetrator's DNA profile is now in CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), a nationwide DNA database of outstanding cases. CODIS holds DNA profiles of known sex offenders, such as registered sex offenders.
"The suspect's DNA is currently being checked against CODIS by the Illinois state crime lab. If he is a suspect in another sexual assault or has been convicted of a sexual assault, we may identify him," Jagielo explained.
Jagielo added that while law enforcement officers do not know the current identity of the suspect, the arrest warrants were obtained to stop the statute of limitations on the case.
"In Illinois, a sexual assault offense only has a three-year statute of limitations," he said. "If March 7 would pass without this arrest warrant on file, we couldn't charge the individual even if we caught him March 8."
Now that officers have an arrest warrant for the perpetrator, the time period for an arrest is unlimited as it stops the statute of limitations on the case. Jagielo said that McDonough County is only the second county in Illinois -- the other is Champaign County -- to obtain an arrest warrant based on a DNA profile.
"There's no denying a DNA code. If we get a hit on a DNA code, it's him," Jagielo explained. "We are just waiting for a call from the state crime lab saying they have a match."
According to prior police reports, the two female students were abducted March 7, 1998 at knifepoint from Higgins Hall parking lot, and then sexually assaulted in rural McDonough County near Spring Lake. The suspect was described as a white male, age 18-24, 5'7", slender build, wearing blue jeans, a dark shirt and a baseball hat. OPS officers were assisted by the McDonough County Sheriff's Office.
McDonough County Deputy Sheriff Mike Carson said his agency, along with OPS, wants people to know that they haven't forgotten the case.
"We are still actively pursuing this individual, and we hope that we are able to catch him," Carson said.
"We're not letting this slide," Jagielo added. "This is a serious offense and we've pulled out all the stops to identify this suspect and bring him in."
Persons who have information regarding this case can contact the Office of Public Safety at (309)298-1949 or Macomb Area Crime Stoppers at (309) 836-3222.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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