Grand jury indicts Bloomington man on 32 child molestation charges

Posted on September 30, 2020

 

Prosecutors said Byrd was arrested following an investigation by the McLean County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomington Police Department. (Photo courtesy: Pixabay)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington man is jailed on dozens of felony charges accusing him of sexually molesting two children over the past several years.

A McLean County Grand Jury indicted Mercedez Byrd, 41, with 29 charges involving one of the children and three more charges involving the second child.

Prosecutors said Byrd was arrested following an investigation by the McLean County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomington Police Department.

A judge set bail for Byrd at $1.5 million on the sex charges, meaning he would have to post a $150,000 cash bond to be released, in addition to a smaller bond in an unrelated drug case.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected]. 

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…