Pontiac-area police officer faces child sex crime charges
Carter Meister, a member of the Fairbury Police Department, is facing sex crime charges after appearing in court in Pontiac.
Meister, 23, of Forrest, has been charged with four counts of criminal sexual assault and four counts of criminal sexual abuse. These charges are stemming from an Illinois State Police investigation.
The four criminal sexual assault charges against Meister allege that he engaged in sexual behavior with a person between the ages of 14 and 17. These are Class 1 felonies. He's also charged with four Class 2 felonies because the victim was at least five years younger than Meister at the time of the alleged crimes.
According to online court records, charges were filed on Oct. 6 in front of Judge Jennifer Bauknecht. Meister, who was in the custody at the Livingston County Jail, appeared in court via zoom with his attorney Richard Blass of Elmhurst, who was also on zoom.
Livingston County State's Attorney Mike Regnier said in a prepared statement that he “requested the services of the (Illinois Appellate Prosecutor) unit and filed a motion with the Circuit Court to assign the unit. To do so is my legal and ethical obligation.”
Kate Kurtz of the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor unit has been assigned as the special prosecutor.
On Oct. 10, Bauknecht recused herself and Mary Koll has been assigned as the special judge in the case. Koll heard the detention hearing Tuesday afternoon.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the victim's age. Meister was charged with Class 2 felonies because the victim in the case was at least five years younger than Meister at the time of the alleged crime.
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Fairbury Police Officer Carter Meister facing charges for sex crimes
