SALEM, IL — A 35-year-old St. Louis man was advised in Marion County Court Tuesday that a seventh felony charge has been filed against him in connection with the alleged kidnapping and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old Salem girl. Courtney Buffkins now faces a Class X felony charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse with the use of a controlled substance in addition to six other charges including Class X felony aggravated kidnapping, four Class 2 felony charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and Class 3 felony aggravated battery with the ingestion of a toxic substance.

Buffkins was initially arrested on a felony obstruction of justice charge for allegedly providing Salem police with a false name when they reportedly found him with the girl in a Salem hotel room. After the girl agreed to talk to police, Buffkins was charged in a separate case with kidnapping and four incidents of aggravated criminal sexual abuse on five different visits to Salem that began in February 2020. His bond was then increased from $10,000 to $750,000.

He pleaded guilty in October 2021 to Class 4 felony criminal sexual abuse in Cumberland County, Illinois, in exchange for a Class 2 felony charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse being dismissed. He’s also facing felony charges in Coles County, Illinois, for Class 1 criminal sexual assault and two counts Class 2 felony aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a juvenile victim 5 years or more younger than him.

Buffkins is next scheduled to appear in Marion County Court March 29 for a preliminary hearing on the seventh count. Jury trial in that case remains set for April 12.