Sesser man found guilty of predatory criminal sexual assault, abuse of child

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

BENTON, Ill., (KBSI) — A Franklin County jury has convicted a Sesser man on multiple sexual assault charges following a three-day trial, according to Franklin County State’s Attorney Abby Dinn.

Darrell Pool, 54, was found guilty Thursday of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Prosecutors said the case began May 14, 2022, when a child from Sesser told her mother that a family member had touched her inappropriately. The child’s mother reported the allegations to the Sesser Police Department.

Police Chief Jason Basenberg and former Chief Brandon Bareis investigated the case. The child later participated in a forensic interview at the Franklin-Williamson County Child Advocacy Center and underwent a medical exam at Herrin Emergency Room. She was later examined by pediatric forensic specialist Dr. Kathy Swafford.

About six months later, prosecutors said a second victim, also a family member, came forward with similar allegations.

Pool was formally charged and arrested Nov. 18, 2022, and has remained in custody at the Franklin County Jail since that time. The case was scheduled for trial several times before proceedings began March 4.

During the trial, multiple witnesses testified for the prosecution. Jurors deliberated for nearly two hours before returning guilty verdicts on all four counts Thursday afternoon.

Pool is scheduled to be sentenced in May. The convictions carry a possible sentence ranging from a minimum of 15 years to a maximum of 127 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The case was investigated by the Sesser Police Department and the Franklin-Williamson County Child Advocacy Center. It was prosecuted by Dinn.