Officer Juan McCoy Arrested for Statutory Sodomy

A Washington Park police officer was arrested today on a warrant for two counts of second-degree statutory sodomy issued after police investigated a complaint of sexual misconduct involving a 14-year-old boy in St. Louis.

Officer Juan McCoy, 35, was arrested without incident at the Illinois State Police headquarters in Collinsville, Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Jim Morrisey said.

A spokeswoman for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Schron Jackson, said, "The Metropolitan Police Department was contacted by the Illinois State Police on April 16, regarding an incident involving a 14-year old male victim that occurred between June and August in the 3700 block of Winnebago."

After a police investigation, the warrant was issued against McCoy, Jackson said.

The juvenile is an Illinois resident, Morrisey said.

The felony charges against McCoy are unrelated to his position as a Washington Park officer, Morrisey said.

McCoy is a former East St. Louis police officer. He also worked as the chief of security for the East St. Louis Housing Authority.

Bill Wilkins, executive director of the housing authority, said McCoy worked for the housing authority for four years and five months. "During his tenure at the East St. Louis Housing Authority, he performed his duties appropriately and effectively," Wilkins said. "We did not receive any complaints from tenants."

Washington Park Mayor John Thornton said, "This news is shocking and disturbing."

"I hope the charges against him are not true. I have children and grandchildren. I knew he was a police officer, but I didn't know that much about him."

Thornton said McCoy worked for Washington Park for two or three years.

McCoy was being held at the Madison County Jail pending extradition. He was being held in lieu of $250,000 cash only bail.