Former Stateville prison assistant warden faces felony sex abuse charges

A former assistant warden at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill is facing felony criminal sex abuse charges against other staff with the Illinois Department of Corrections.

About 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Edward Jacob, 45, of the 2200 block of West Grace Street, Kankakee, was booked into the Will County jail on five charges of criminal sexual abuse.

The charges were the result of an Illinois State Police investigation initiated April 27, 2021, into allegations that Jacob, former assistant warden of operations at Stateville, had committed criminal sexual abuse against other IDOC staff, Illinois State Police said.

Naomi Puzzello, Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman, said Jacob was terminated as assistant warden of operations at Stateville on May 10, 2021.

When asked, Puzzello would not say whether Jacob was terminated over allegations detailed in the criminal complaints filed in Will County.

Two of the charges against Jacob regard allegations that he sexually abused a woman between Aug. 26, 2020, and Aug. 27, 2020, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

The other three charges regard allegations that Jacob sexually abused a second woman April 27, 2021.

Judge Sarah Jones had signed two warrants for Jacob’s arrest, both of which carried $100,000 bonds, after an investigation by Illinois State Police.

After Jacob was booked into jail, he posted 10% of those bonds and was released about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday.

On April 28, 2021, a 34-year-old woman petitioned a protective order against Jacob that alleged he committed sexually abusive acts against her April 27, 2021, at his office at Stateville.

Judge Donald DeWilkins granted the protective order April 28, 2021.