Carlinville man sentenced for sexually assaulting senior citizen

A 21-year-old man is heading to prison for 25 years for sexually assaulting a woman over the age of 60 in Carlinville two years ago.

Takoda M. Harbaugh, of Carlinville, was sentenced to prison in the Illinois Department of Corrections on Monday after being found guilty of aggravated criminal sexual assault, a news release from the Macoupin County State’s Attorney’s Office stated.

In July, evidence was presented to show that on Oct. 19, 2017, Harbaugh approached a woman over the age of 60 as she was walking to work near the intersection of North Oak Street and West Nicholas Street. According to the release, Harbaugh threatened her at knife point and sexually assaulted her.

The release stated that DNA evidence tied him to the crime.

Aggravated criminal sexual assault carries a sentencing range of six to 30 years in prison. Harbaugh is not eligible for parole before 21 years and 3 months from the date of his arrest, which was Nov. 3, 2017. He has been in Macoupin County Jail since that arrest.

Hana Muslic

Belleville News-Democrat

618-239-2626

Hana Muslic has been a public safety reporter for the Belleville News-Democrat since August 2018, covering everything from crime and courts to accidents, fires and natural disasters. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and her previous work can be found in The Lincoln Journal-Star and The Kansas City Star.