Ex-deputy for La Salle County charged with child sexual abuse images

A fired La Salle County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with child sexual abuse images.

In a news release issued Wednesday, the Ottawa Police Department announced multiple felony charges against Dexter C. Baker, 28, of Ottawa.

La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro confirmed Wednesday that Baker has been terminated. Sheriff Adam Diss further said Baker was suspended as soon as the sheriff’s office was alerted to the investigation, and Baker was fired soon after.

Baker was indicted Tuesday by a La Salle County grand jury on 10 counts of child sexual abuse images. Eight of the counts are Class X felonies carrying a sentence of six to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation. The two remaining counts are Class 2 felonies carrying three to seven years.

Additional details were not immediately available. La Salle County Circuit Court records reviewed Wednesday afternoon showed no entry for Baker, suggesting that he was picked up on a warrant that has not yet been unsealed.

In the release, Ottawa police said Baker was taken into custody Wednesday by the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Bureau County Jail. A La Salle County employee cannot, realistically, be detained in a La Salle County venue.

An appearance in La Salle County Circuit Court is expected later this week.

According to the release, the investigation was launched June 4 after Ottawa detectives assigned to the Illinois Attorney General Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a “cybertip” indicating a social messaging app was reporting a user.

“Search warrants were obtained to acquire the account holder information for the user in question,” police said in the release. “As a result of the investigation, [Baker] was developed as a suspect.”

A search warrant was obtained June 12 for Baker’s residence. Four days later, Ottawa detectives forwarded the case and their findings to the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office for review, according to the release. That office, in turn, forwarded the case to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General for prosecution.

The Ottawa Police Department was assisted by the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office.

This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.