At a detention hearing in McDonough County Circuit Court Friday, which was continued from the initial hearing Thursday, Judge Nigel Graham determined that Jeremy Sholl of Galesburg, who is being charged with numerous sex crimes against two female minors, will remain detained in the McDonough County Jail.
Public Defender Scott Terry argued his client, who lives with his mother, is not a flight risk, nor did he have contact with children. As such, Terry asked the court for Sholl's release, with an electronic monitor in place, so he could continue to work. Assistant State's Attorney Susan Maxwell stated due to the nature of the crimes, the state recommends he remain in custody. According to Maxell, the incidents were brought to light when Sholl texted a third party in late 2025 about his conduct, and the messages provided a detailed account of what he did. These messages were consistent with what the victims disclosed to investigators, she noted. Maxwell also stated when Sholl was questioned on Feb. 11 by Sheriff's Office deputies he confessed to 'some inappropriate contact with the victims.'
Graham explained, when handing down the decision to keep Sholl detained, that while the incidents took place some time ago, they recently came to light due to the text messages the defendant sent to another person, and that given his inability to conform to societal norms, he poses a threat to the victims and the community.
'These are allegations of non-probationable sex offenses and I am not confident that there is no threat to the community should he be released. I am denying pre-trial release,' Graham added.
Sholl will re-appear in McDonough County Circuit Court Feb. 23 for a status hearing.
McDonough County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested the 43-year-old Feb. 11 in his Galesburg home. Sholl faces felony charges of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (Class X felony); two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (Class 2 felony), and two counts of criminal sexual assault (Class 1 felony).
During Thursday's courtroom proceedings, Graham read the charges, with the incidents reportedly taking place from November 2011 to December 2012, against two female relatives with whom he resided at the time who were eight years old, and again over a four-month span in 2018, when the children were between 13-17. If found guilty of the Class X felony, Sholl could face 50-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC); the other charges range from three to 16 years in the DOC.
In a release last week from McDonough County Sheriff Nick Petitgout, following the issuance of a warrant signed by McDonough County Circuit Court Judge Nigel Graham, Sholl was arrested by McDonough County Sheriff's deputies and Illinois State Police Zone 4 special agents. According to Petitgout, over the past several months, MCSO detectives investigated allegations against Sholl, who was accused of inappropriately touching, grooming and molesting children in, and outside, of a McDonough County household. During the lengthy investigation, detectives recovered digital evidence of the crime and conducted numerous interviews of the victims with the help of the Illinois Child Advocacy Center in Quincy.
Petitgout added the McDonough County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate along with the Illinois State Police Zone 4 on this case. Additional charges could be brought forth at a later date.
