Illinois woman gets 95 years in prison for sex assault, child porn, police say

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A downstate woman was sentenced to 95 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual assault and child pornography charges.

Sarah Troutwine (Howard) received the sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and one count of child pornography production in May, according to the Bloomington Police Department.

What we know:

Troutwine was arrested in August of 2024 on 19 counts of various sexually related offenses, police said. 

The investigation began when a technology company reported the uploading and sharing of videos believed to be child sexual abuse material.

Detectives with Bloomington police executed a search warrant and recovered evidence of Troutwine sexually assaulting a child and engaging in sexual acts with an animal, police said.

All three counts of Troutwine’s sentence will be served consecutively:

• Predatory criminal sexual assault: 40 years (must serve 85%)
• Predatory criminal sexual assault: 40 years (must serve 85%)
• Child pornography production: 15 years (must serve 50%)

"The conduct this criminal investigation unveiled was substantial. The judge's sentencing sends an impactful message to our community that this type of dangerous behavior will not be tolerated," said Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington. "From the initial investigation through the prosecutorial process, I commend the diligent efforts of all who made our city safer. Although the work of our officers is hard, laborious, and stressful, we seek to bring justice to victims and protect those who are not able to protect themselves from harm."

What you can do:

If you believe you or someone you know is a victim, you can submit a tip at report.cybertip.org.