Convicted local sex offender charged in new child molestation case

Posted on May 3, 2018
James Shields of Bloomington is charged with child molestation at the same time he’s on probation for another sex crime. (McLean County Jail photo)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – McLean County prosecutors have filed child molestation charges against a Bloomington man who’s on probation in a previous sex abuse case.

Bloomington Police arrested James Shields, 31, earlier this week. Prosecutors charged him with six counts of predatory criminal sexual assault involving a victim younger than 13 between January 2012 and December 2014.

Court records indicate Shields had previously been convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, which is less serious than the latest charges against him. Shields was sentenced in January of last year to four years probation and six months in the county jail for sexually abusing a teenager in 2015.

Shields faces up to 60 years in prison on each of the latest charges. A judge set bond at $1 million, meaning he has to come up with $100,000 to be released from jail before his trial.

Shields has a May 11 court date.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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