45-year-old Megan Valentine of Albion has undergone a sexual assault examination after an alleged incident involving a correctional officer at the White County Jail last month. Valentine had been housed at the Carmi facility on behalf of Edwards County while awaiting trial for the November 2024 shooting death of her husband, Illinois Second Judicial Circuit Judge Michael Valentine. On November 11th, a White County correctional officer was suspended without pay after being discovered engaging in what Sheriff Jordan Weiss described as “inappropriate conduct” with a female inmate inside her cell. Following the incident, Megan Valentine was immediately transferred to the Wayne County Jail in Fairfield.
During a Zoom hearing Tuesday, Judge William Thurston noted that Valentine’s attorney, Jessica Koester, reported her client had “submitted to a SANE evaluation and is awaiting the results.” A SANE exam—conducted by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner—is standard in investigations of possible sexual assault. Because the alleged misconduct occurred inside the jail, Sheriff Weiss requested the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation to take over the case. A special prosecutor—Gallatin County State’s Attorney Douglas Dyhrkopp—has been appointed to oversee the investigation and determine whether charges will be filed. The correctional officer involved has not been publicly identified and remains suspended without pay. No charges have yet been filed as the investigation continues.
If the investigation confirms that a correctional officer engaged in sexual conduct with an inmate, the officer could face a Class 3 felony charge of Custodial Sexual Misconduct, punishable by 2–5 years in prison, along with potential additional charges.
Megan Valentine remains detained in Wayne County pending pretrial hearings set for December 19th and January 29th. The case has not yet been scheduled for trial.
Valentine was arrested by Illinois State Police in November 2024 after her husband, Judge Michael Valentine, was found dead outside a residence on County Road 600 near Albion. An Edwards County Sheriff’s Deputy located his body after responding to a call shortly after noon on November 5, 2024.