A Pleasant Plains native has been arrested by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation for official misconduct on the Springfield Police Department. According to a press release from ISP Zone 4’s Division of Criminal Investigation, 26 year old Taylor Staff of Springfield and a 2013 graduate of Pleasant Plains High School, was arrested today in connection to alleged incidents that occurred between January 2020 through July 2020 and involved 3 separate victims, with whom Staff had inappropriate contact while as a member of the Springfield Police Department.
Staff, according to a State Journal Register article, was inducted into the Springfield Police Department with 11 other officers in April 2018. ISP DCI Zone 4 agents conducted a thorough investigation of staff for the past 8 months. Yesterday, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s office issued a warrant for Staff’s arrest, and he was charged with Class 3 Felony Official Misconduct, Class 1 Felony Criminal Sexual Assault, and Class 3 Felony Custodial Sexual Misconduct. Staff is currently being held at the Sangamon County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond. The Class 3 felonies carry up to 2 to 5 years in prison along with fines. The Class 1 felony carries a 4 to 15 year mandatory prison term and permanently registering as a sex offender.
ISP says the investigation is ongoing and no more information will be available at this time. Investigators are asking if anyone has any further information about the incidents in question to contact ISP Zone 4 at 217-782-4750.