Belleville couple charged with child sex crimes

A rural Belleville couple faces child sex crime charges following an investigation that began this month. The Green County Sheriff’s office received information in August about the alleged child sexual assault incidents in Monroe and Exeter. Investigators developed probable cause to arrest 75-year-old Thomas Cole and 74-year-old Deborah Cole both of rural Belleville. The pair was arrested without incident at separate rural Green County residences on Aug. 13 and 14. Thomas was charged on Aug. 18 with two counts of repeated sexual assault of the same child. Deborah was charged the same day with one count of failure to act in the sexual assault of a child. A judge set Thomas’ cash bond at $125,000 and Deborah’s cash bond at $5,000. Both signed bond agreements on Wednesday. Online court records show Thomas is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 28; Deborah is scheduled to appear on Aug. 31. The investigation remains active.