How Could You? Hall of Shame-Dennis Donnelly UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Galesberg, Illinois, a former foster parent Dennis Donnelly, 70 was charged with “aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, and aggravated sexual abuse” in the abuse of a foster child.

“According to Illinois State Police, officers were notified in May 2018 that Donnelly had allegedly sexually abused a foster child under the age of 13 in the mid 1980s. During the investigation, detectives learned Donnelly had been a licensed foster parent in Illinois during the 1980s through 2000s, with several kids under his care.

Investigators traveled to Phoenix, Arizona where they interviewed and arrested 70-year-old in Oct. 2018. It is unknown if the former foster parent was living in the state at the time.

Donnelly is being arranged to be extradited from the Arizona to the Knox County jail this week.

His bond is set $100,000. The investigation is ongoing.

Illinois detectives are asking anyone with information or those who has been under Donnelly’s care to contact them at 309-948-1881.”

Charges filed against Illinois man accused of allegedly sexually abusing foster child

[KMOV 2/12/19 by Nicole Sanders]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A 70-year old Arizona man accused of sexually abusing a boy in his foster care in the 1980s appeared in Knox County Court Tuesday where probable cause was found in the charges he faces.

The State’s Attorney is charging Dennis Donnelly with counts of criminal sexual assault and abuse related to three alleged incidents perpetrated against a boy in his foster care that he would later adopt.

Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Kerr called Special Agent Brian Masters with Illinois State Police to testify, the officer who took the victim’s initial complaint.

Masters says Louisiana State Police interviewed the victim, as that’s the state he resided in when he made the complaint.

All three of the incidents are said to have taken place within a year of each other, in a Knoxville home, all while the victim was under 13-years-old and while he was in Donnelly’s care.

The victim has told police that one of the incidents involved several other children.

Special Agent Masters also testified that Donnelly made several “incriminating comments” during a 22-minute interview with police at his home.

Donnelly will return to court for arraignment on April 10, where Public Defender David Hansen is expected to file a motion on Donnelly’s behalf.”

Probable cause found for man accused of abusing foster child in ’80s

[WGIL 3/27/19]

“70-year-old Dennis Donnelly will ask a judge to dismiss charges against him that he sexually assaulted a boy in his foster care in the ’80s.

Public Defender David Hansen filed the motion on Donnelly’s behalf and a hearing is scheduled for April 22.

Hansen seems likely to argue that the case should be thrown out because of the statute of limitations.

Former Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill in 2017 removing a 10-year limitation after a victim reaches 18-years-old, although a similar bill is currently making its way through the General Assembly.

Also, Donnelly’s case has been reassigned to 9th Circuit Associate Judge Anthony Vaupel, who is expected to rule on the Arizona man’s motion in Knox County Court.

Donnelly has plead not guilty.”

Dennis Donnelly’s attorney files motion to dismiss charges of criminal sexual abuse

[WGIL 4/10/19]
Update 2:“A former Galesburg foster parent pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in a child sex case.

Dennis K. Donnelly, 70, of Arizona, entered the not guilty plea, along with a jury trial request, after a motion to dismiss his case was denied Thursday afternoon by Circuit Associate Judge Anthony Vaupel.

Knox County Chief Public Defender Dave Hansen represents Donnelly and Knox County Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Kerr was present for the state Thursday.

The mostly technical hearing focused on separating what the current law is in regards to statute of limitations on child sex cases versus what the statute of limitations were at the time of the alleged offenses.

Donnelly is charged with counts of sexual contact with a minor between April 3, 1987, and Dec. 3, 1988. State law changed in 1986, allowing a case to be pursued until three years after the offense date or one year after an alleged victim turned 18 years old.

For this specific case, that means the charges would not have expired until 1994, but, according to argument from Kerr and Judge Vaupel’s ruling, the statute of limitations clock was stopped when Donnelly no longer was a resident of the state.

According to Donnelly’s 1989 divorce, he was a resident of New York at that time and therefore charges can still be pursued in 2019 because the clock on the prosecution timetable stopped in 1989. The charges could have expired in 1994 had Donnelly remained a resident of Illinois.

The earliest Donnelly could go to a jury trial is next month. He will be back in court for a pretrial hearing June 3.”

Former Galesburg foster parent enters not guilty plea in sex case
[The Register-Mail 05/02/19 by Robert Connelly]

A search of the Knox County Court system shows that Dennis has a Pretrial Conference on 08/05/2019.