Staff Report

A 63-year-old West Frankfort man was sentenced in Franklin County Circuit Court on Thursday to 48 years in prison for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

Steven D. Sneed was found guilty August 24, 2022 during a jury trial in Franklin County Circuit Court. Sneed was found guilty of committing an act of sexual contact with a 10-year-old child for the purposes of sexual gratification. The case was prosecuted by Franklin County State’s Attorney Abby Dinn and was investigated by the West Frankfort Police Department and the Franklin-Williamson Child Advocacy Center.

The charge against Sneed is a Class X felony, punishable by a sentencing range of 6 to 60 years. By statute, Sneed will be required to serve 85 percent of the sentence that was handed down by Judge Thomas Tedeschi. In issuing the 48-year sentence, Judge Tedeschi virtually handed down a life sentence, guaranteeing that the 63-year-old Sneed, who had been convicted of a prior charge of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, will never leave prison.

Also sentenced on Thursday by Judge Tedeschi in Franklin County Circuit Court:

William J. Franklin, 28, of Benton, was sentenced to six years in the IDOC for possession of a weapon by a felon.

Charles E. Williams, of West Frankfort, was sentenced to seven years in IDOC for possession of 15-100 grams of methamphetamine and two years in IDOC for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Roy B. Samel, 48, of West Frankfort, was sentenced to four years in IDOC for delivery of 5-15 grams of methamphetamine.

These cases were investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, West Frankfort Police Department and the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, and prosecuted by State’s Attorney Abby Dinn.