Ex-Chicago pastor and former CFD assistant commissioner, Jerry Jones, admits to child sexual abuse

In Chicago, a former South Side pastor and a retired Chicago fire assistant commissioner have admitted guilt to charges of sexually abusing children, according to court records.

Jerry Jones has accepted responsibility for five different cases brought against him, which involved acts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against minors, court documents indicate.

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He was sentenced to 60 days in the Cook County Department of Corrections on each count, to be served concurrently.

He was also sentenced to 36 months of sex offender probation. This sentence also includes lifetime sex offender registration.

Jones was also named in a least two civil lawsuits; each was settled and dismissed in June of last year.

The abuse took place over the course of two decades.

Jones was a bishop at two South Side churches.

The allegations state that he committed these offenses at various places, including a church and his residence, during the span of his life between the ages of 42 and 66, as outlined by prosecutors.

A 21-year old woman, who was 11-years old at the time, claims Jones used pastoral counseling meetings as an opportunity to inappropriately touch her, police say. The victim also told police he would use Bible verses to speak to her inappropriately about sex.

Jones also allegedly asked for the victim to send nude photographs of themselves.

The victim said when she was 17-years-old she told two members of the church, including a minister, who notified Jones’ wife. The church then allegedly put Jones and the victim on a “restoration plan” that the victim claims was intended to punish both.

In June 2020, the victim says she then became aware of other victims through a Facebook post about Jones’ abusive behavior, prompting them to file a police report on June 8, 2020, CPD says.

The two other victims claim they were between the ages of 5-14 years old when they were allegedly abused by Jones.

The video in the player above is from an earlier report.