Several months after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault by force, Travis Turner of Waterloo was sentenced Thursday in Monroe County Circuit Court following the denial of a motion for retrial.

Turner’s aggregate sentence amounts to 18 years – six for each count – to be served at 85 percent for a total of 15 years, three months and 18 days.

Turner was found guilty by a jury in July in a week-long trial concerning an assault which took place in Waterloo the morning of Jan. 29, 2022.

As previously reported, Monroe County State’s Attorney Ryan Webb provided an overview of the events surrounding the assault in his opening statements during the July trial.

On the night of Jan. 28, Turner had several friends and work associates at his house for a party, the 19-year-old victim’s then-boyfriend being one of his coworkers at the time.

Through the evening, the victim’s boyfriend left early – around or before 11 p.m. – to go home and take medication while the victim stayed behind, the couple and another woman at the party deciding that the victim would either sober up and drive herself home or continue drinking and get a ride home with the second woman.

As individuals at the party left through the night, the victim continued to drink even as the other woman left the party without her early in the morning.

The two alone, Turner forced the victim into his bedroom and sexually assaulted her, pulling her hair and grabbing her forcefully to the point of leaving bruises in various places.

The victim’s boyfriend later returned to Turner’s house around noon having not heard from the victim through the morning, ultimately finding the two of them in Turner’s bed.

During closing arguments at the end of the week, Webb emphasized what he argued to be the core facts of the case, namely DNA evidence as well as photographic evidence showing her bruises with testimony from the woman who was meant to drive her home confirming she did not have those bruises earlier during the party.

T.J. Matthes of the St. Louis law firm Rosenblum, Schwartz, Fry & Johnson continues to serve as Turner’s legal representation for this case.

In his closing arguments in the July trial, Matthes placed focus on a number of apparent inconsistencies in the victim’s recounting of events in her testimony and as she described them to police on several occasions following the assault.

Matthes’ overall argument centered around the assault being consensual sex between Turner and the victim given an apparently toxic relationship with the victim and her boyfriend at the time – though it is notable Turner originally said the two of them had not had sex, later saying it was consensual after being informed of DNA evidence confirming the incident.

Following Turner’s conviction, Matthes filed a motion in Monroe County Circuit Court listing over a dozen supposed “errors” which prevented what he deemed a “fair and impartial trial.”

This motion was ultimately dismissed by presiding Monroe County Resident Circuit Judge Chris Hitzemann prior to Turner’s sentencing Thursday.

While both Webb and Matthes spoke on the items included in the motion, Hitzemann quickly dismissed the matter afterward.

Prior to Turner’s sentencing, Matthes called Turner’s mother to the stand to provide a family impact statement.

She spoke to Turner’s character, describing her son as respectful and someone who doesn’t take advantage of others, further describing how he frequently visits her to check in on her needs.

She added that, at 75, she wishes to still be with her son, explaining that she has previously lost her husband and grandchild and doesn’t want to lose her son as well.

In his arguments preceding sentencing, Webb spoke to the difficulty of sentencing the case as the sentence could range from 12-30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

He emphasized the experience of the victim, arguing that, as she was 19 years old and a virgin at the time of the assault, she lost 19 years of innocence during the crime, with the case hanging over her head for the following two years.

With these arguments, Webb advocated for a sentence of 21 years.

Matthes argued for a minimum sentence, arguing that Webb’s acknowledgement of the victim’s virginity should be ignored given that the Rape Shield Statute applies at all points of litigation.

He further argued Turner’s character, noting that his criminal history only concerns misdemeanors, pointing out the impact a lengthy sentence would have on his family and further suggesting that being labeled as a sex offender is itself a form of incarceration.

Following a lengthy recess, Hitzemann delivered the sentence of 18 years to be served at 85 percent.

Following the sentencing, the Republic-Times reached out to Matthes for comment.

“We look forward to challenging this case on appeal,” Matthes said. “We believe the accuser had severe credibility issues, which we will be exploring on appeal along with other matters that were outcome determinative in this case.”