Ex-Assistant State's Attorney Sought Sexual Contact, Photos: Raoul

CHICAGO – A former downstate assistant state’s attorney faces more than 30 criminal counts of misconduct in connection with interactions he had with women between the ages of 18 and 35, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Friday.

Brady Allen, 33, who previously served as a Coles County Assistant State’s Attorney, turned himself into police on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Allen, who now lives in Missouri, lived in Charleston, Ill., is charged with bribery, witness harassment, and 21 counts of official misconduct by Raoul’s office. He also faces charges of witness intimidation and witness harassment, Raoul’s office said.

If convicted, Allen could face up to seven years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

“As a prosecutor who has sworn to uphold the law, I am shocked and outraged that a fellow prosecutor would allegedly use that authority to manipulate and victimize women in the community,” Raoul said in a news release. “I appreciate the continued collaboration of the Illinois State Police, which investigated this complex case. I am absolutely committed to holding public employees accountable for using their positions to take advantage of the residents they are supposed to serve.”

Allen resigned as a county state’s attorney in 2020 after taking office in 2018. Raoul’s office alleges that within that time frame, Allen had inappropriate text, email, phone, and social media communications that were sexual in nature with female defendants he was currently or had previously prosecuted.

Raoul maintains that Allen solicited sexual contact, photos, and videos with an understanding that in exchange, the female defendants would receive preferential treatment in their upcoming criminal cases.

Even after Allen was assigned to another courtroom, Raoul says that Allen continued to solicit sexual contact, photos, and videos, suggesting to the women that he could influence his colleagues at the Coles County State’s Attorney’s office. Raoul also alleges that once Allen’s behavior was discovered, he offered to pay one female defendant’s fines and court costs if she could convince another female defendant to not pursue claims against him.