Former Belleville deacon pleads guilty to attempted criminal sexual assault
A former Belleville deacon has pleaded guilty to attempting to sexually assault a 29-year-old woman.
Robert J. Lanter, 69, was indicted in St. Clair County court on a criminal sexual assault charge on April 12. According to the charging documents against him, he sexually assaulted the woman who wasn’t able to give consent in Swansea on March 1.
On Tuesday, Lanter pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted sexual assault after the case was negotiated, his lawyer Thomas Daley said. Judge Zina R. Cruse sentenced Lanter to serve 120 straight days in St. Clair County Jail beginning Jan. 6 and 36 months of probation, which began on Tuesday.
St. Clair County First State’s Attorney Steve Sallerson said that Lanter also will have to register as a sex offender for life.
Following Lanter’s arrest, Belleville Bishop Edward K. Braxton said in a letter to the Belleville Diocese that Lanter had resigned from all of his roles as of April 25.
Lanter had been the diocese’s deacon coordinator and was assigned to St. Luke Church in Belleville. He had previously served at St. Teresa Church. He was ordained in 1997.
A representative from the Diocese of Belleville could not immediately be reached for contact.
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