Local man sentenced to 28 years in prison for downloading child pornography

(25 News Now) - A man from Normal convicted late last year on 10 counts of child pornography was sentenced Monday to 28 years in prison, having waited in jail for five years to face trial.

However, Jeffrey Martin’s legal troubles are not over as he awaits trial for sexually assaulting a woman older than 60 in a case filed in 2016.

Martin, 58, was jailed for five years, serving a sentence for an unrelated aggravated battery and causing lengthy trial delays as he hired and fired various attorneys. He eventually defended himself.

A jury last November found Martin guilty of downloading child pornography on a computer, and he was found in contempt of court 51 times for various outbursts and disruptions during the trial. At Monday’s sentencing, Judge William Yoder dismissed the contempt citations.

McLean County State’s Attorney Erika Reynolds released a statement after the sentencing.

“The McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office is pleased that this matter has come to a resolution after many years of litigation. Due to the hard work of the Normal Police Department with the assistance of the Bloomington Police Department and Assistant State’s Attorney Kirk Schoenbein, justice has finally been served. Let this serve as a reminder that those who prey on the most vulnerable among us by downloading child pornography will face justice regardless of how long it takes.”

Martin’s trial in the sexual assault case is scheduled for March 20.