Trial in October for Bloomington man accused of sexual assault

The Bloomington man accused of inappropriate contact with a youth who visited his business is moving toward a trial.

James Crubel, 59, was in Grant County Circuit Court for a status conference on the seven felony counts against him. The case was given a final status hearing Oct. 3, with an expected two-day trial set for Oct. 22.

Crubel has been charged with two counts of repeated sexual assault of the same child—contact equal to first degree sexual assault more than three times. The charges have maximum sentences of up to 60 years, and the first charge calls for a minimum of 25 years for a bifurcated sentence. 

Crubel is also charged with causing a child younger than 13 to view or listen to a sexual act, child enticement, two counts of exposing intimate parts to a child, and exposing a child to harmful material.

According to court records, Crubel turned himself in to authorities, confessing that he exposed himself to a child in March. Investigators then talked with the victim, who went into further detail about the activities that took place, alleging inappropriate contact over a three-year period.

Crubel has been in jail since he was arrested for the charges. Bond was set at $50,000 cash, which he attempted to request to be cut in half in June, noting that since the charges his wife had filed for divorce, and he has no means to pay for that. Grant County Circuit Judge Robert VanDeHey denied the request.