A Stroud man has waived his preliminary hearings on four felonies, including two for first degree rape, one for possession of child pornography, and one for soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology.
Shamus Jack Palermo, 49, was formally charged Sep. 22, 2023 in Lincoln County District Court with possession of child pornography.
He made his initial appearance before Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk the same day he was charged and she ordered that he reappear on Oct. 12 with the pornography case to trail the other case in which he faces three felonies.
Palermo was charged in Lincoln County District Court on July 17, 2023 with two counts of first degree rape and one count of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology.
His preliminary hearings in both cases was scheduled for Jan. 26. 2024, at which time he waived the those hearings.
His arraignment has been set for 9 a.m. on Feb. 20 on all four counts.
Judge Kirk set his bond at $100,000 with the stipulation that he have no contact with the victim as a condition of the bond.
In the pornography count, Palermo is accused on July 7 of possessing child pornography on his cell phone by possessing images of a child under 18 involving the lewd exhibition of the uncovered breasts and genitals of a female minor where the lewd exhibition was for the purpose of sexual stimulation to the viewer.
In a probable cause affidavit, it’s stated that on July 7, 2023, Stroud Police Chief Clint Gaylord and Capt. Jimmie Ahrend, after securing a search warrant from Special Judge Emily Mueller, met with Palermo where he is employed and advised him of the warrant and then the need to take him to his apartment and unlock the door so a search could be conducted.
The search warrant was conducted and a few minutes later Palermo was arrested by Gaylord and taken to the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler by Officer Jonathan Kelley.
According to the affidavit, items seized included two cell phones, two computers, a camcorder, a note and photographs.
The same day, a judge signed two search warrants authorizing the search of the cell phones and Gaylord took the phones to the OSBI for a forensic download.