UPDATE: Thurmond was arrested at approximately 4:45 p.m., Thursday, in Arizona. Police say he had been traveling for personal reasons before charges were filed. He will now be extradited to Winnebago County. 

By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD – Rockford Police officer Eric Thurmond has been charged with criminal sexual assault, Police Chief Dan O’Shea announced Thursday. 

Thurmond, who lived in a police department ROCK House, was placed on administrative leave earlier this year. He has since moved out of the subsidized house.

O’Shea said around midnight, May 23, officers were called to Hill and North Second streets, after a woman reported she had been sexually assaulted by Thurmond. 

The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed information obtained by the Rockford Police Sensitive Crimes Unit and authorized charges against the officer. A warrant for Thurmond’s arrest was obtained Thursday. 

Thurmond, 26, is the second Rockford officer in as many days to be charged with sexual assault. Wednesday, 51-year-old Daniel Basile, a 19-year veteran, was arrested on a similar charged for an incident that occurred Oct. 11. 

“When we receive a report like this, we handle them like any other criminal complaint,” O’Shea said at a press conference. “And we investigate them thoroughly. We want the victims’ voices to be heard. If people have complaints against police and they’re criminal allegations, I want to make sure the city and all the residents and all victims understand that we will hold ourselves accountable, and we will do criminal investigations into whoever it is.”

Thurmond has been with the Rockford Police Department for three years. As of this report, he is not in custody. His bond has been set at $250,000.