Verona Trustee Schaffnit charged with criminal sexual assault of a minor

A village of Verona trustee has been hit with four felony charges for alleged criminal sexual assault of a minor, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.

Verona Trustee Robert E. Schaffnit III, 46, Verona, was taken into custody on Monday before appearing in court on Wednesday. He was being held on $250,000 bail, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office opened its investigation into the alleged assault, on June 13. Schaffnit faces four charges related to criminal sexual assault, according to a Wednesday news release.

According to the release, a child forensic interviewer with the Grundy County Child Advocacy Center conducted a victim-sensitive interview, and detectives followed up on information obtained during the interview.

The Department of Children and Family Services, Grundy County Child Advocacy Center and the Grundy County State’s Attorney’s Office all aided in this investigation.