Peoria, IL – A Bartonville man was arrested this week following a joint investigation into alleged sexual assaults of a minor that reportedly occurred across Peoria and Bartonville, according to the Peoria Police Department.
Police said the case began on September 22, 2025, when officers responded to the 2000 block of NE Jefferson in Peoria after a report of an earlier sexual assault. A child disclosed to a trusted adult that an older male known to the family had allegedly been sexually assaulting her about five years ago across two jurisdictions.
According to the department, the Criminal Investigations Division of Peoria Police worked with Bartonville Police to conduct forensic interviews with minors and gather evidence related to the case.
On October 8, 2025, detectives from both agencies executed a search warrant at a home in the 300 block of McKinley in Bartonville. Joseph E. Braun, 66, was taken into custody without incident and later arrested for Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault and Sexual Exploitation of a Child, police said. Braun was booked into the Peoria County Jail.
Due to the sensitivity of the case and the victim’s minor status, police said no additional details about the child will be released. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information about violent crimes in Peoria is urged to contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521 or submit an anonymous tip via tip411 or Peoria Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000.
All suspects and arrestees are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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