The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman, and she has been charged with filing a false police report for an allegation of sexual assault last month.
According to a press release, deputies were notified of an alleged sexual assault on October 22nd. The assault was said to have occurred on October 20th in the 900 block of Herren Street in Hardin. The victim came to the sheriff’s office and was interviewed by Chief Deputy Zach Hardin, and subsequently escorted to Alton Memorial Hospital for a sexual assault examination.
Following the initial investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for the suspect identified by the victim. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office was further notified that the suspect had left the area and returned to his home near Pineville, Louisiana.
Chief Deputy Hardin contacted the Pineville Police Department, who immediately assisted in the investigation. On October 30th, Pineville Police took the suspect into custody, and he was held pending extradition back to Illinois.
On November 3rd, Chief Deputy Hardin and Deputy Austin Phillips travelled to Pineville, Louisiana to extradite the suspect back to Calhoun County for prosecution. The suspect denied the allegation and was subsequently interviewed and consented to having his phone examined.
Following further investigation, which included additional witness interviews, video surveillance, and license plate readers; it was determined that the alleged victim had falsified her statements to law enforcement officials, according to the report.
On November 5th, all charges put forth against the original suspect were dropped in Calhoun County Circuit Court.
On Friday last week, the initial reporting party, 30-year old Kelcey J. Herter of Hardin was arrested for Class 4 felony Disorderly Conduct for falsifying a report to law enforcement.
Chief Deputy Hardin said in the press release that all complaints of sexual assault will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly; and further said that it is not easy for sexual assault victims to come forward and hopefully this incident does not discourage anyone else from reporting an incident of abuse or sexual assault to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the investigations by he Pineville Louisiana Police Department, Jersey County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois Department of Child & Family Services and the Calhoun County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Herter is scheduled for a first appearance on the charge on December 3rd.