Gurnee cop denies child molesting and other charges

A Gurnee police officer accused of molesting two children and threatening a man with a gun pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lake County Circuit Court.

Jay Simon, 35, faces the possibility of multiple prison sentences of up to 30 years if convicted of all the most serious charges against him.

Simon, a six-year veteran officer who has been honored for his DUI enforcement work, was arrested last month after an investigation by the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Fred Day said Simon is charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal abuse for molesting two girls.

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The girls, who Day said are both under the age of 13, were molested in three separate attacks dating to November 2006.

Simon is also charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, official misconduct and aggravated assault in a March 2007 incident involving a Zion man. Day said Simon burst into a room where the man was, identified himself as a police officer and threatened him with his duty handgun.

Simon has been held on $1.5 million bond since his June 6 arrest, and has been on administrative leave from his job since mid-May when the department learned he was under investigation.

Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak scheduled a trial of the case for Aug. 29, and ordered Simon to appear in court July 24.