Staunton Star - Times - Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years

Dillard J. Dehart, Jr., 66, of Staunton, was sentenced by a Macoupin County jury and found guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony. Dehart is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 4.

The two-day jury trial happened Monday, Aug. 21 and didn't get to a jury verdict in part due to the amount of witnesses that were called to the stand. It was developed that Dehart’s niece, a minor, had accused him of digitally penetrating by assault and taking advantage of her.

The Judge that presided over the trial was Judge Joshua A. Meyer. Jordan J. Garrison, who serves as the Macoupin Co. State's Attorney, prosecuted on behalf of the State. Jurors deliberated about 35 minutes before returning a guilty verdict.