Trial date set for Springfield officer accused of sexual assault

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A Sangamon County judge has set a trial date for the Springfield police officer accused of sexual assault, along with other misconduct allegations.

Illinois State Police arrested Springfield Police Officer Taylor Staff, 26, in Feb. 2021 after Sangamon County prosecutors approved an arrest warrant. Staff, a three-year veteran of the police department, was under investigation by the Illinois State Police after members of the department brought forward accusations of Staff's misconduct.

On Wednesday, a Sangamon County judge set his case for trial in April.

Police said the crimes Staff allegedly committed happened while he was on duty between January and July of 2020. They involved three separate victims, officers said, and state police charged Staff with official misconduct (Class 3 felony), criminal sexual assault (Class 1 felony) and custodial sexual misconduct (Class 3 felony).

As of March 2021, Staff was on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation by Springfield police.