Quincy church youth leader sentenced to 12 years for sexual abuse

QUINCY (WGEM) - A Quincy man who was a youth leader at Hope Lutheran Church in Quincy was sentenced Friday to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Court records show that 22-year-old Isaiah Mikkelson was sentenced to 6 years each for two counts of criminal sexual abuse of a victim between 13 and 18 years old.

Mikkelson must serve the two sentences consecutively and will receive 4 days credit on each count for time served.

In September, Mikkelson pleaded guilty to two of the seven total charges against him. One count of criminal sexual assault, two charges of child pornography, and two other counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

In March, police reported that the investigation into Mikkelson started in January 2023 after law enforcement was contacted by a parent of a juvenile who had disclosed possible sexual abuse.

Police added that the sexual abuse that has been alleged towards Mikkelson occurred at Hope Lutheran Church in Quincy, where he worked as a youth director.

Police stated during the investigation, multiple juveniles were interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center and an alleged abuse had happened in the church.

According to court documents, two different females who were over the age of 13, but under 18 at the time of the incidents, accused Mikkelson of fondling their breasts and sex organs over their clothes.

Court documents also allege that Mikkelson “knowingly solicited, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced” both females whom he should reasonably know to be under the age of 18 to appear in a video involving an act of masturbation.

The documents also state that one of the females reported that Mikkelson used his finger to penetrate her.

The documents allege these incidents all happened in 2021.

On Feb. 24, an arrest warrant was issued for Mikkelson for multiple counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault, involving several juvenile victims.

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