Shelbyville Man Charged After Missing Pana Child Found –

Shelby Co., Ill. (ECWd) –

Press Release 1-3-2024:

A missing child from Pana, Illinois was recently located in Shelbyville, Illinois.

Based on information obtained in locating the child and other evidence available to investigators, the Shelbyville Police arrested Kristopher R. Karcher of the 100 block of North Broadway, in Shelbyville, Illinois.

The Defendant is presently charged by the Shelby County State’s Attorney with multiple crimes, but the enumeration of those crimes is withheld at this time pending order of the Circuit Court.

In addition to advancing the charges in this case, Robert Hanlon, the State’s Attorney for Shelby County, has referred this matter for federal criminal prosecution.  The Defendant will be arraigned on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 11:00am.

The public is reminded that the Defendant enjoys a presumption of innocence unless and until proven guilty of the charges against him.

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Update 1-4-2023: The Shelby County Court Docket, for 2024CF3, indicates Karcher was charged under a probable cause affidavit with eight counts of Criminal Sexual Assault with victim between 13-17 years old. Each count is a Class 1 Felony if proven guilty.

Pre-Trial Release Denial was filed along with a Probable Cause Affidavit.

His initial hearing was scheduled for this morning at 10:30 a.m.

No Pretrial Release, Defendant will remain in custody of Sheriff.

From the Court Docket:

SA HANLON FOR PEOPLE; DEFENDANT IN CUSTODY OF SHELBY COUNTY JAIL; CHARGES AND PENALTIES EXPLAINED; STATE HAS FILED A MOTION FOR PRE-TRIAL DETENTION; PROCEED ON MOTION FOR PT DETENTION; FOR PURPOSES OF DETENTION HEARING, PD RAU APPOINTED TO REPRESENT DEFENDANT FOR DETENTION HEARING PURPOSES ONLY; COURT FINDS STATE HAS TIMELY FILED ITS MOTION AND THE DETENTION HEARING HAS BEEN TIMELY HELD.

COURT CONSIDERS THE 48-HOUR AFFIDAVIT AS WELL AS THE SEARCH WARRANT APPLICATION IN 2024-MX-1; COURT FINDS THAT STATE HAS PROVEN BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE DEFENDANT COMMITTED THE OFFENSES AS CHARGED; FURTHER, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE, THE STATE HAS PROVEN THE DEFENDANT POSES BOTH A REAL DANGER TO A SPECIFIED PERSON AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE; FURTHER, THE COURT FINDS THAT NO COMBINATION OF CONDITIONS CAN MITIGATE THE REAL AND PRESENT THREAT; APPELLATE RIGHTS ON DETENTION ORDER GIVEN; WRITTEN DETENTION ORDER TO ENTER; FURTHER, PROCEED ON MOTION FOR STD TESTING PURSUANT TO STATUE; MOTION GRANTED; REVIEW CERTAIN RIGHTS WITH DEFENDANT;

AT THIS TIME, DEFENDANT WISHES TIME TO HIRE PRIVATE COUNSEL FOR HIS CASE-IN-CHIEF; MATTER RESET FOR FAWC ON JANUARY 17, 2024 AT 10:00 A.M.; ALSO, COURT WILL REVIEW TO MAKE SURE DEFENDANT HAS TIMELY FILED HIS APPEAL OF DETENTION ORDER; FURTHER, 2024-MX-1 TO REMAIN SEALED; ALSO, 48-AFFIDAVIT SEALED UNTIL FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT; STATE TO FILE AN AMENDED COUNT 2 OF
INFORMATION.