Colona man, 28, gets life for child sex assaults

CAMBRIDGE – A judge in western Illinois has sentenced a 28-year-old Colona man to 14 consecutive life sentences for molesting children.

Justin Bealer was convicted of 14 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

Henry County Circuit Court Judge Charles Stengel on Thursday sentenced Bealer to spend the rest of his life in prison for the assaults on several victims. The youngest victim was just 4.

Henry County State’s Attorney Terry Patton praised the two young girls who came forward to testify against Bealer. He says they undoubtedly saved other girls from being assaulted.