A Bloomington resident has been sentenced to 87 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from two child sexual assault cases.
Michelle Blessent, 35, pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13 and one count of grooming, according to a news release from the Bloomington Police Department.
A judge sentenced Blessent to 84 years combined for the two counts of predatory sexual assault and three years for the charge of grooming. Blessent will not be eligible for parole until 2095 due to the state's truth-in-sentencing law, the release said.
"The men and women of the Bloomington Police Department strive to hold violent offenders accountable through diligent and effective investigations," BPD Chief Jamal Simington said in a statement. "The unfortunate victims in these cases deserve the best possible outcomes, and I pray the deliverance of justice helps with the healing process."
Blessent was first arrested in April 2023 following a grand jury's indictment on five counts of predatory criminal sexual assault.
While still jailed at the McLean County jail in November, Blessent was indicted on three new counts related to a second victim.
