EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State's Attorney Tom Gibbons has filed charges this afternoon against James M. Lopes (d.o.b. 9/5/75), a homeless man, who had been suspected of making inappropriate contact with children and their parents in Madison County over the weekend.
Lopes is facing three counts of Grooming (Class 4 Felony) and three counts of Disorderly Conduct (Class C Misdemeanor). He had previously been charged by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department with two misdemeanor counts of Criminal Trespass and Disorderly Conduct.
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Bond was set at $75,000 by Associate Judge Jennifer Hightower. Lopes is currently in custody at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville pending a mental health evaluation by a court appointed physician. Additionally, a petition to declare Lopes a Sexually Dangerous Person was also filed with the Circuit Court this afternoon. If found to be a Sexually Dangerous Person, Lopes would be committed to the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections for treatment for an indeterminate period of time. Likewise, maximum penalty for a Class 4 Felony Conviction is 1-3 years in prison.
State's Attorney Gibbons praised the work of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department for their thorough investigation into Lopes. He also thanked the families involved for their cooperation with law enforcement.
These charges, as well as the statements made herein, are based upon probable cause. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
