A Franklin County jury has found 45-year-old Jeromy Bocook of Christopher guilty of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated criminal sexual abuse following a four-day trial.
State’s Attorney Abby Dinn says the jury deliberated for about an hour before returning the verdict. The case began when a child from Christopher disclosed the abuse to her grandmother, who then contacted the Zeigler Police Department. The case was later transferred to the Christopher Police Department, where the crime reportedly occurred.
Investigators with the Franklin-Williamson County Child Advocacy Center conducted a forensic interview with the victim. Bocook was indicted back in 2018, but the trial was delayed by multiple defense motions before beginning on November 4th.
Bocook now faces between six and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
