LEROY, Ill. (WAND) - A resigned U of I police officer was arrested on charges of criminal sexual assault and abuse, state police said.Â
The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations took Leroy man Jerald E. Sandage, 48, into custody. The suspect was wanted on four separate warrants for five counts of criminal sexual assault, one charge of criminal sexual abuse and another two intimidation counts.Â
As WAND-TV previously reported, Sandage resigned from the U of I Police Department in February while under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct. He was charged in December 2019 with seven counts of official misconduct, which included accusations of using police resources to target women from Feb. 2017 to Jan. 2018.
Authorities said Sandage used law enforcement databases and security cameras to learn the personal information of women. Several alleged victims came forward to law enforcement.
In one case, The News-Gazette reports a victim claimed Sandage blackmailed her into having sex with him by threatening her with going public about an affair she had with another man. According to prosecutors, multiple victims claimed Sandage sexually assaulted them before they woke up to him being naked next to them.Â
The police department had placed Sandage on administrative leave in Sept. 2018 when he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman off campus while off-duty. There were no criminal charges filed and he was allowed to go back to desk work. He went on administrative leave again the following month.
