Prosecutors amend two of the charges against Todd Fort

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The two latest charges filed against former deputy and school board president Todd Fort have been amended by the State's Attorney's office.

The amendments elevate the two charges to Class X felonies punishable by six to 30 years in the Department of Corrections.

Fort, 43, was charged Aug. 19 with official misconduct and criminal sexual assault in addition to the original charges filed July 19, including four counts of criminal sexual assault and four counts of official misconduct involving a 17-year-old girl who was an intern with the Sheriff's Department. The Aug. 19 charges contended Fort committed an act of anal sodomy with the girl.

The charges filed Aug. 19 have been amended to include a contention Fort caused an anal fissure by placing his penis in the anus of the girl. Causing bodily harm during an illegal sexual act causes the charges to be upgraded to more serious felonies.

All the acts are believed by authorities to have taken place between May 1 and July 19.

A preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 23 on the latest charges.

Fort was chief deputy and school board president when he was arrested in July. He has since indicated his intention to resign from the School Board in September and has retired from the Sheriff's Department effective Aug. 24. He had served 21 years with the department.