
One of two suspects has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after authorities say a man and his girlfriend drugged a child and sexually assaulted her in Woodstock.
Jason Reinhard, 39, of Woodstock, was charged in March 2023 with four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of exploitation.
The second suspect in the case, Jessica Speciale, 36, of Wonder Lake, was charged with four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of exploitation.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) notified the Woodstock Police Department in October 2022 for a report of a sexual assault of a juvenile victim, Woodstock Deputy Police Chief Ray Lanz said in March 2023.
The alleged sex crimes occurred in Woodstock from 2019 to 2021.
“From the time of the initial reporting to the Woodstock Police Department to the present, the juvenile victim had no contact with the suspect, who was identified as Jason L. Reinhard,” Lanz said.
The McHenry County Child Advocacy Center, DCFS, McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and Woodstock Police Department all worked together to investigate the crimes.
A criminal complaint alleged that Speciale coerced a female child, who was under the age of 13, to participate in numerous sexual acts with Reinhard.
Speciale and Reinhard were in a relationship and lived together at the time.
The complaint and prosecutors said Speciale and Reinhard gave the victim a pill, which made her feel delusional, prior to the child being assaulted by the couple. The pill was reported to be Xanax.
Speciale and Reinhard also engaged in sexual conduct together in front of the victim, the complaint said.
Arrest warrants were issued for Speciale and Reinhard in March 2023.
Reinhard was served with the warrant while he was being held in the McHenry County Jail on charges from different cases.
Reinhard has been held in jail since November 2022, jail records show. He was sentenced to five years in prison in March 2023 after pleading guilty to burglary and possession of meth.
Speciale was taken into the custody of the McHenry County Jail in June on the charges but her court case appears to be sealed from the public and further details on the status of her case were unknown.
Court records show Reinhard pleaded guilty to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony, and one count of criminal sexual assault of a child family member, a Class 1 felony.
McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt approved the plea deal and sentenced Reinhard on Wednesday to 25 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections pursuant to the agreement.