By Rosalind Essig
Jacksonville Journal-Courier, Ill.
DECATUR, Ill. — A private investigator from Jacksonville is facing misdemeanor charges after being accused of performing a sex act on a client at the Macon County jail.
Rhonda G. Keech, 64, of Jacksonville was arrested at 8:05 p.m. Wednesday on a misdemeanor charge of public indecency after jail staff observed her performing a sex act on an inmate, according to a Macon County Sheriff’s Office sworn statement.
Sheriff’s deputies began investigating Keech’s visits to her client, James D. Jones, who is an inmate at the jail, after becoming suspicious of the direct-contact visits they were having, according to a sworn statement.
After monitoring video recordings of the interview room where they met, investigators believe Keech performed a sex act on Jones during multiple visits in July, according to the document. The camera lens in the interview room was “in plain view.”
Jones also was charged with public indecency.
Keech was allowed direct-contact visits with Jones “for professional business only,” according to the document. Jones had hired Keech, whose business is Keech Investigations.
According to a now-defunct website, Keech is the founder and principal investigator, with “many years of experience serving as a private investigator.”
Keech has been a licensed private investigator since October 2015, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
She previously was a case coordinator for the Illinois Innocence Project, which works to correct wrongful convictions.
©2019 the Jacksonville Journal-Courier (Jacksonville, Ill.)