Eldorado man sentenced for sex crimes
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">HARRISBURG – Roger D. Hedger, 63, of Eldorado, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Feb. 8 in Saline County Circuit Court by Judge Mark Clarke to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The sentence includes four years of mandatory supervised release, plus costs.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hedger was found guilty of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The charge is a Class 2 felony, which is punishable by a term of 3 to 7 years in IDOC custody and a $25,000 fine.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hedger was sentenced to five years in IDOC on each count, to be served consecutively.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Illinois State Police led the investigation with the assistance of the Guardian Center.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On April 30, 2016, a minor disclosed to her mother that she was being molested by Hedger.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The incident was reported to ISP, who opened an investigation. Special Agents with ISP learned the abuse occurred between Oct. 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016 at a house in Eldorado.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The 13-year-old female minor disclosed multiple incidents of abuse at the hands of Hedger when she was 12 and 13. Hedger was subsequently arrested and charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">He also is required to register as a sex offender after his release.