Pawnee Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Child Sexual Assault Case
A Pawnee man has been sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following his conviction on charges involving the sexual assault of a child.
Bradley Hesse, 56, was sentenced Sept. 23 by Judge Jack Davis after being found guilty in July of two counts of Criminal Sexual Assault and one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse. The conviction followed a three-day jury trial.
The case dates back to April 2024, when the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division took over an investigation from the Pawnee Police Department involving allegations that Hesse had sexual contact with a minor child at a residence in Pawnee.
Sheriff’s detectives investigated the case in cooperation with the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Following the investigation, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Hesse on April 17, 2025, with Unlawful Restraint, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and two counts of Criminal Sexual Assault.
Hesse was found guilty of both Criminal Sexual Assault counts and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse following the July 2026 jury trial. Davis sentenced him to a total of 20 years in state prison.
“Protecting children is one of the most important responsibilities we have in law enforcement,” Sheriff Paula Crouch said. “Those who prey on children must be held accountable. I am grateful for the dedication of our detectives and the work of our partner agencies in ensuring justice was served in this case.”
Crouch also credited the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, Pawnee Police Department and Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services for their roles in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
