A 61-year-old man was arrested Thursday after police connected him to a pair of sexual abuse cases involving minors.
Kevin A. Armstrong of Peoria was charged with predatory and aggravated criminal sexual assault in one case and aggravated criminal sexual abuse in the other after a pair of allegations were made against him recently.
According to the Peoria Police Department, officers responded to a local middle school on April 29 after they received a report from a minor alleging ongoing sexual abuse by an adult. An investigation began into this allegation, with Armstrong being identified as the suspect.
The next day, officers responded to a residence after allegations were made of inappropriate touching of a minor over a number of years. Armstrong was also identified as the suspect in this case.
Detectives conducted interviews with the minors, which led to a search warrant being issued for Armstrong’s home in the 500 block of West Northmoor Road. Detectives recovered evidence relating to the investigation at his home, eventually finding out his whereabouts on Thursday.
Officers conducted a traffic stop along Interstate 74 near the interchange at Illinois Route 6, taking Armstrong into custody without incident.
A statement from Peoria Public Schools described Armstrong as a former temporary/seasonal employee who did not have direct contact with students in his role. He formerly served as a referee assigner for sporting activities, according to the district.
While it said allegations came from an incident which took place “outside of the school environment,” the district said it is cooperating with law enforcement.
The statement noted: “The safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities. We are committed to fostering an environment where students feel safe and supported to report any concerns they have.”
Anyone with further information on the case is asked to contact the Police Department at (309) 673-4521 or provide an anonymous tip through their Tip411 service. Tipsters can also contact Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria man arrested on sexual assault charges involving minors
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
