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  Dakota Man Charged with Sex Abuse to Appear in Court

By Travis Morse
The Journal-Standard
December 9, 2010

http://www.journalstandard.com/news/x2012970350/Dakota-man-charged-with-sex-abuse-to-appear-in-court

A 63-year-old Dakota man is set to appear in DuPage County Circuit Court next week on charges he sexually abused an underage girl in Naperville on Nov. 12.

James W. French, 63, of Dakota was arrested at his home by Naperville police on the morning of Dec. 2. He was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and assigned a bond of $250,000.

Officials at DuPage County Jail in Wheaton say French posted $25,000 bail, or 10 percent of his bond, on Wednesday and was released. His next court date is on Dec. 16 before Judge Daniel P. Guerin in DuPage County, according to the Naperville Sun newspaper.

Authorities are not releasing many details about the incident, other than to say it occurred in Naperville on Nov. 12. The victim has not been identified, but police say she is under the age of 13. The crime was brought to the attention of police by the DuPage County Children’s Center, which investigates abuse allegations involving children, states the Naperville Sun.

“The incident occurred in our community,” said Sgt. Gregg Bell of the Naperville Police Department. “It’s a detailed investigation.”

Police say French knew the victim, but they would not specify the nature of their relationship. Bell said French has a connection to the Naperville area, but he declined to comment on that connection.

French is a founder and former pastor at Indian Grove Country Church in Rock City. He was also reportedly an adjunct professor of history at Rock Valley College in Rockford, according to the Naperville Sun. French does not have a criminal record, police say.

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office assisted Naperville police when they served a search warrant at French’s Dakota residence on Dec. 2, said Chief Deputy Todd Welch of the sheriff’s office.

“We assisted them in the service of their search warrant,” Welch said. “The warrant was not signed here. They brought it, signed and ready to execute.”

 
 

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