Republican Candidate indicted on child sex charges

Republican Candidate indicted on child sex charges
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
Published October 14, 2006

KANE COUNTY -- A 36-year-old Aurora man seeking election to the Kane County Board in November has been charged with sexually abusing two girls.

Brent K. Schepp, of the 400 block of Linden Avenue, was named in a 26-count criminal indictment announced Friday by Kane County State's Atty. John Barsanti.

The charges are 14 counts of criminal sexual assault, 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse and two counts of unlawful delivery of alcohol to a minor.

Prosecutors said Schepp knew his victims, who are now 15 and 16. The alleged abuse occurred last year between June and December.

Bond is set at $75,000. Schepp faces a minimum sentence of 34 years in prison if convicted.

Schepp is the Republican candidate in the race for an open County Board seat based in Aurora.

Party officials said they have not talked to Schepp directly about quitting the race, but Kane County Republican Organization Chairman Dennis Wiggins said in a prepared statement that "our party cannot endorse a candidate in the upcoming elections who is currently under a cloud of suspicion for such alleged conduct."

Schepp is a civil engineer.