Toledo, IL-(Effingham Radio)- During the afternoon hours of October 27th, 2025, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office served an arrest warrant on James R. Waddell, 47, of Toledo, Illinois, for multiple felony counts. The warrant was a result of crimes alleged to have been committed in Effingham County and investigated by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrest warrant, issued on October 24th in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, charges Waddell with:
- Count 1 – Criminal Sexual Assault, class one felony
- Count 2 – Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, class two felony
- Count 3, 4, 5, and 6 – Child Pornography, all class three felonies
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the initial investigation by the advocacy group SAFE (Sexual Assault and Family Emergencies), the Effingham City Police Department, the Mattoon Police Department, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Effingham County State’s Attorney.
Waddell remains in the custody of the Effingham County Jail, awaiting a pre–trial detention hearing.
Waddell should be considered innocent of all allegations until proven guilty in a court of law.
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