It took a Wabash County jury less than 90 minutes this afternoon to convict 31 year old Jeffrey Isham of a Class X felony of predatory criminal sexual assault. Isham was charged in September of 2019 for an incident with a then 11 year old family member who testified Isham dragged her by the hair into a bathroom where the assault took place at Isham’s Keensburg home.
Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman called her final five witnesses to testify this morning before resting her case. Public defender James Lane who is representing Isham chose not to call any witnesses or offer any evidence in the case and rested his case.
Following closing arguments, the jury got the case at 2:10pm this afternoon and returned their verdict just before 3:30pm ending the trial that began Monday with jury selection.
Storckman said she was pleased with the verdict…
Key testimony in the case came from the victim and two other young witnesses, all three of which impressed Storckman…
In his closing argument, Lane criticized the investigation of the case led by the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, but Storckman said Lane’s comments are unfounded….
This was Storckman’s first jury trial as state’s attorney and she said the jury’s verdict sends a loud and clear message…
Isham will be sentenced on January 10th and faces up to 30 years in prison on the Class X felony. Judge William C. Hudson ordered Isham immediately be taken to the Wabash County Jail to be held until sentencing. Previously, Isham had been on house arrest.
Isham’s legal troubles aren’t over yet. He faces three more counts of predatory criminal sexual assault in connection to alleged incidents with a different family member.
Jeffrey Isham is escorted to the Wabash County Jail after being found guilty today of predatory criminal sexual assault.
