A 37-year-old St. Louis man has been sentenced to a total of 39 years in prison on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one Class X count of child pornography in connection with acts committed on multiple days with a girl in Salem in 2020 and 2021. The child pornography charge claims Courney Buffkins recorded himself committing a sex act with the victim in November 2021.
Buffkins was handed the sentence in Marion County Court by Judge Mark Stedelin after entering an open negotiated plea. The judge sentenced Buffkins to 15 years on the Class X child pornography charge and six years on each of the aggravated criminal sexual abuse counts and then ordered the time to all be served consecutively.
The victim provided a victim impact statement that explained the emotional impact she still experiences. She explained how she believed Buffkins was younger than he truly was, believing he was probably 18 or 19 and not in his mid-30s. The victim also recounted in the statement how Buffkins manipulated her and supplied her with drugs and alcohol throughout their relationship.
Buffkins addressed the courtroom in a statement of allocution. He essentially apologized to the court and the victim noting how he began talking to the victim and grew close to her.
State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth asked for a total of 58 years in prison for Buffkins while Public Defender Craig Griffin asked for a prison term of six years on the Class X felony to be followed by probation on the aggravated criminal sexual assault convictions.
As part of the earlier plea, Buffkins had charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery for giving a girl a drink laced with methamphetamine, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse dropped.
Buffkins still has six other charges of child pornography involving a second victim pending against him. Hudspeth says he will be seeking additional prison time for Buffkins on those charges.
Buffkins earlier pleaded and was sentenced on a reduced charge of misdemeanor obstructing identity. Salem Police first arrested Buffkins for giving a false name when he was allegedly found in a Salem motel room with the juvenile girl. He received a 364-day sentence to the Marion County Jail with credit for time served.
The other charges followed an ongoing investigation.
