A Vandalia man has been sentenced to 8 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following a sentencing hearing on Monday afternoon. 48-year old Robert V. Willenborg was present in Fayette County Court for sentencing following his conviction in late June on three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse following a jury trial. Prior to hearing sentencing arguments, Judge Alan Lolie heard arguments on an amended post-trial motion from defense attorney Monroe McWard that included asking that the convictions be vacated and for a new trial to be ordered on what he said were errors by the court during trial. After McWard gave his argument, Fayette County State’s Attorney Brenda Mathis argued against the amended motion with Judge Lolie ultimately denying the motion. Victim impact statements were then read by one of three victims who testified at trial and her mother. As the state had no more witnesses at the time, the defense then called Sheriff’s Deputy Greg Kline to testify on a Celebrating Recovery course that Kline teaches through his church that Willenborg had been attending. McWard then called members of Willenborg’s family including his father, mother and sister as well as a family friend to testify on behalf of the defendant about his community involvement in the past and how they believed him to not be a danger to the public. SA Mathis then called on the mother of the second victim who testified at trial to serve as a rebuttal witness. Following the wrap up of witnesses, Willenborg was asked if he would like to give a statement in allocution in which he said he was sorry for he had done and stated that he would never put himself in that situation again. After hearing the state’s argument in which Mathis asked that Lolie sentence Willenborg to 30 years to be served consecutively in the IDOC and hearing the defense argument asking for probation and of not probation, for sentences to be served concurrently. Judge Lolie told the court that he was sentencing Willenborg to 8 years on each count but did not see leeway to make the counts consecutive. Lolie gave Willenborg credit for 523 days served and reminded that Willenborg would have to serve 50% meaning that Willenborg would serve about 31 months in IDOC but said it could longer or shorter depending on normal stipulations. Willenborg will also have to register as a sex offender for life and will have two years of mandatory supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
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