Ronald G. Preston - Repeat Sex Offender - Molested child in Wife's Day Care Center

Previous Conviction:

AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT
Offender's age at conviction: 38
Victim Age: 10

the girl disclosed to the Children’s Advocacy Center that she had been abused by Preston starting at age 5. Over the years, the alleged abuse escalated from kisses on the neck to attempts to have sexual intercourse

A convicted sex offender whose wife ran an in-home day care in Heyworth was charged Friday with sexually assaulting a child during the several years the child was left at the home for care.

Associate Judge Robert Freitag set bond at $1 million for Ronald G. Preston, 50, of the 200 block of East Main Street in Heyworth. That means he must post $100,000 to be released from custody on the sexual molestation charges.

Assistant State’s Attorney Suzanne Geller said the girl disclosed to the Children’s Advocacy Center that she had been abused by Preston starting at age 5. Over the years, the alleged abuse escalated from kisses on the neck to attempts to have sexual intercourse with the girl, according to a statement read by Geller.

The alleged victim, who is younger than 13 years old, has not been in the unlicensed, at-home day care for more than a year and came forward “after overhearing a conversation about telling someone you trust if someone else has hurt or inappropriately touched you,” Geller said.

Charges against Preston include two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and two counts of attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault.

Preston’s previous conviction in 1997 for molesting a child could make him eligible for life in prison if convicted on the recent charges, said Geller.

Preston has been registered as a sex offender on the Illinois State Police’s sex offender registry Web site.

The prosecutor told The Pantagraph that Heyworth police and the state’s attorney’s office will continue an investigation and that additional charges involving other victims are possible. Heyworth Police Chief Chris Lane said the initial complaint was received by an officer at his department.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"

.........Sarah Tofte