Following an international investigation, police have captured a man who sexually abused and assaulted a child in his family, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said.
Robert J. Gould, 51, of Nova Scotia, Canada, was behind bars in the McHenry County Jail on Wednesday. On Thursday, authorities announced Gould was being charged with over 20 counts of different types of sexual assault following incidents in Island Lake and unincorporated Woodstock during April of this year. Gould was on the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office top 10 wanted fugtive list.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said that the case began when Canadian authorities contacted the sheriff’s office with information about the incident. McHenry County Sheriff’s Office investigators then worked with the Halifax Regional Police in Nova Scotia to conduct a criminal investigation.
Investigators made contact with Gould in August when he was visiting the Wheeling area. Warrants for Gould’s arrest were then obtained for 4 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (class X felony), 6 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13 (class X felony), 7 counts criminal sexual assault victim under 18 (class 1 felony), criminal sexual assault with force (class 1 felony), and 3 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (class 2 felony).
Authorities did not elaborate on details about the sexual assault/abuse incidents.
Gould had been detained by Canadian authorities on September 1 and was later extradited to the United States. On September 19, Gould arrived with the United States Marshal’s Service and Massachusetts State Police at the Logan International Airport in Boston. He was transported to the McHenry County Jail where he arrived on Wednesday.
Gould’s bond was set at $500,000. His next court date is on October 23.