Plea change hearing set for Rake man accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse

FOREST CITY — A plea change hearing has been scheduled for a Rake man accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse.

19-year-old Jaycob Guthart was charged last October with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, each a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, after authorities in a criminal complaint stated that Guthart allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting a 12-year-old female on two separate occasions in September or October of 2023.

Guthart was also charged last October with one count of third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony punishable by up to ten years in prison, after he allegedly assaulted a different victim in December 2023 while the victim was asleep.

Guthart’s trial was scheduled to start on September 24th, but court records show an order was filed to set a plea hearing on all three charges on October 21st in Winnebago County District Court.