Man arrested on charges of sexual assault

By ALEXA ZOELLNER azoellner@shawmedia.com

A 67-year-old Forreston man was arrested for criminal sexual assault, according to police.

Michael A. Gaston was arrested on May 2 by Forreston police on six counts of criminal sexual assault, Forreston Police Chief Chris Thiel said.

On Feb. 18, the Forreston Police Department received a report of a sexual abuse incident and began an investigation involving a minor under the age of 18, according to a Forreston Police Department news release.

Thiel was unable to comment on how many minors are involved in the case, but did confirm that Gaston previously was employed by the Forrestville Valley School

District as a bus driver.

According to Forrestville Valley School District Board of Education minutes from March 15, Gaston was fired effective March 1.

After his arrest, Gaston was transported to the Ogle County Jail. He posted bail around noon and was released, according to the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office inmate registry.