Effingham, IL – On July 15, 2020, Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 8 officials arrested Scott E. D. Ross, a 22-year-old male of Charleston, IL for Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault.

The arrest occurred following an extensive, cooperative investigation stemming from information initially reported on July 13, 2020 to the Greenup Police Department. Ross was formally charged with Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child (Class X Felony) by the Cumberland County State’s Attorney, Bryan D. Robbins, on July 16, 2020. Charging documents allege Ross, in August 2015, in Cumberland County, IL, while the defendant was 17 years of age or older, committed an act of contact between the sex organ of the defendant and the part of the body of a minor victim who was under the age of 13 at the time of the offense, and that the act was committed for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the accused, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/11-1.40(a)(1). Bond was set by the court on Friday, July 17, 2020 in Cumberland County at $100,000, 10% to apply and Ross is being held at the Cumberland County Jail.

The Greenup Police Department assisted ISP DCI Zone 8 in this on-going investigation. No additional information is being released at this time. Further inquiries should be directed to the Cumberland County State’s Attorney’s Office. Anyone with additional information regarding possible illegal conduct by Ross is asked to call ISP DCI Zone 8 Special Agent Travis Rinehart at (217) 342-7881.