The Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office has announced the prison sentence of an Auburn man for multiple felonies and sex crimes.
On Thursday, 34 year old Mason E. Bertrand of Auburn was sentenced to 69 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by Associate Judge Jennifer Ascher. The sentence follows Bertrand’s convictions on all counts by a jury.
Bertrand was charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office in January 2020 with 3 counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault, 3 counts of Criminal Sexual Assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, unlawful restraint, and sexual exploitation of a child.
According to a press release, after a 3-day trial, a Sangamon County jury found Bertrand guilty of the repeated sexual assault of his 13-year old daughter between April 2018 and September 2019. In addition to the 69-year sentence, Bertrand will be required to register as a sexual predator for the remainder of his life.
At the sentencing hearing, the victim provided an impact statement about the continued repercussions Bertrand’s crimes have had on her. The case was prosecuted by Chief of the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office Felony Division Mary Beth Rodgers and Chief of the Juvenile Protection Division Kendra Hansel. The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office lead the investigation into Bertrand’s crimes with the assistance of the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center Multi-Disciplinary Team.