20-year sentence for Gerald Mitchell

Gerald K. Mitchell, 41, Muddy pled guilty in Saline County Circuit Court to two Class 2 felonies counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, State's Attorney Mike Henshaw recently announced earlier this month.

Judge Walden E. Morris sentenced Mitchell to two consecutive 10 year terms in the Illinois Department of Corrections, two years of mandatory supervised release, fines and court costs. Mitchell will also be required to resister as a sexual offender for the rest of his life under Illinois law.

On Feb. 28, 2012, the Saline County State's Attorney's Office filed an information charging Mitchell with five Class 2 felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse based on reports that he had sexually abused a child under 13 years of age. Class 2 felonies are normally punishable by a term of incarceration from three to seven years in the IDOC. However, because of the age of the victim, Mitchell was eligible for the extended 10-year sentences he received. Mitchell's two 10 year sentences will run consecutively for a total of 20 years' incarceration. Consecutive sentences are imposed when the court is of the opinion that it is required to protect the public, according to the release.

The investigation was led by Illinois State Police Special Agent Gwendolyn Bassinger. Assistant State's Attorney Jayson M. Clark finalized the guilty plea.