East Central Reporter

Citizens of Shelby County may recall the search for a missing Pana, Illinois minor that resulted in the arrest of Kristopher R. Karcher.

“Mr. Karcher (34 years old) drove from Shelbyville to Taylorville and picked up a 13-year-old child and repeatedly raped her. He was arrested in his apartment where the police located the minor with the Defendant. That was after several days where the police were looking for the abducted child and news coverage everywhere! Upon his arrival at his apartment in Shelbyville, Karcher immediately raped the child. The child’s description is seared into my memory, but not appropriate for me to repeat. Karcher even instructed the child to turn off her cellular phone so the police would not be able to find her. (That showed a guilty mind, and was a great fact for trial). Fortunately, he left his own phone on, and police tracked his phone to his apartment in Shelbyville. He was found with the child in his apartment! There were crimes that were not charged such as his digital penetration of the child in the car in Taylorville, as that act took place in Christian County. There is no doubt that Karcher engaged in the acts charged and there was no legitimate defense to the charges.” (Former State’s Attorney Rob Hanlon)

According to judici.com docket entry, there were eight Class 1 Felony counts of Criminal Sexual Assault of a minor.

During the detention hearing after his arrest, the judge’s docket entry is about as strong as any we have seen. The prior State’s Attorney Robert Hanlon offered a 20-year sentence.

“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;”

Shelby County State’s Attorney Ruth Woolery amended information for counts 1 and 2 to a Class 2 Felony and accepted a plea deal on those two reduced charges while dropping the rest. The sentencing was five years in DOC with credit for time served—182 days. With good behavior and 1:1 credit, he could be out in two years.

We reached out to former State’s Attorney Rob Hanlon and current State’s Attorney Ruth Woolery for comment on this case. Hanlon provided a response via email:

“This was a case that was easily proved and for any sex case could be characterized as a slam dunk. However, during my term of office as State’s Attorney I was often aware of facts and circumstances the public was unaware of with regard to other cases that resulted in decisions that the public did not necessarily agree with. I attributed those reactions to uninformed nature of scope of public knowledge on those matters.”

We are still awaiting a response from Woolery.