WABASH CO.—An unusual sex offense case in Wabash County has reached a somewhat speedy outcome, even though not all the inside details were revealed in mainstream media reports.
Timothy Doerr Jr., 23, of Allendale, is a former jailer at the Wabash County jail as well as at the jail in neighboring Gibson County across the river in Princeton, Ind. He worked there until earlier this year (about June) when he was charged with a Class 2 felony Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse count. The count alleged that Doerr Jr. fondled a girl whose age was between 13 and 17 between June 9-16, 2012. He was arrested about a month later (July 10) and charged. Doerr was detained until September 11, at which time, after a bond reduction, he was able to post the $2,500 the bond had been reduced to. Had he not been able to post bond, special circumstances had been put in place, however, so that he might be available to attend the birth of his child, as it was during this time in September that the birth was imminent, and the judge at least saw fit to let Doerr go be with his wife when she was ready to deliver, and for two hours after the baby’s birth.
Timothy J.L. Doerr Jr. mugshot from July 2012
However, a source very close to the case says that it might not necessarily have been the sex charge that got Doerr canned.
According to this source who provided the info on condition of anonymity, Doerr was alleged to have been having sex with people who were coming to the jail to visit incarcerated people. One woman in particular (whose name we have, but again, we’ll not run it, out of fear of retribution against her) who was visiting a boyfriend there at Wabash County was said to have been propositioned by Doerr and accepted on a number of occasions. They are alleged to have had sex at the jail, and the woman got pregnant….at the same time the Missus Doerr was. In fact, the source said the two went to the same Ob/Gyn in Fort Branch, and would occasionally run into each other while at checkups.
At about the time the sex offense was charged, a number of investigating agencies spoke at length with the woman in question about Doerr Jr. having sex with her while at the jail. At first she was extremely reluctant to speak to them, believing that if she had conducted herself in such a way, she was liable to be charged with a crime, too. However, she was assured (in particular by Illinois State Police investigators) that this wouldn’t be the case, and she finally admitted that yes, they had been having sex at the jail, and yes, there was a good possibility that the baby was Doerr’s.
Because it’s personnel, we’ve been unable to confirm that alleged sex-on-the-job was why Doerr was terminated…or, conversely, if it was because of the sex abuse charge. Or both. Whatever the case, an agreed-upon sentence was reached a week ago (Nov. 19) and it’s all over for Doerr, who got out of it with just a scratch: Four years’ probation, six months’ jail stayed, register as a sex offender and pay a whopping $3,594 in fines and fees, which is what it’s all about anyway….especially after Doerr was able to post the $2,500 bond the court allowed as a reduction back in September.
Doerr has now just one more little problem: he may have to move, as he’s now a registered sex offender and may be residing too close to the school in Allendale. If he does this, he’ll have to complete said move by December 19.
There have been a number of problems with jailers (‘correctional officers,’ although that’s elevating some of these people a bit too high) at Wabash County’s jail, this dating back to the Terry McWilliams administration (2004-06). It’s slowed down considerably since that time (and since Joe Keeling took office in 2006, winning a second term in 2010), but it remains an infrequent issue that hurts the county jail’s reputation when it comes up. Oftentimes it boils down to someone doing favor for someone else, generally at the county board level; while it’s unclear what the exact situation was in this case, it remains that now Wabash has a former jailer who’s on the sex offender registry.