A 57-year-old Mt. Vernon man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a victim under the age of 13. Darren Meyer received the sentence as part of a negotiated plea.
The conviction and sentence are a result of a Sheriff’s Office investigation initiated on August 15th, 2023. The investigation involved search warrants for Meyer’s residence plus interviews, some of which were assisted by the Amy Schulz Child Advocacy Center. Evidence was recovered indicating criminal activity.
On August 23rd, 2023, Deputies assisted by officers from the Mt. Vernon Police Department responded to a disturbance call at Meyer’s residence. Meyers was taken into protective custody at that time, transported by Litton Ambulance to SSM Good Samaritan Hospital, and upon completion of his evaluation, he was arrested for criminal charges of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse with a victim under 13 years of age and 10 counts of child pornography.
Meyer is currently held in the Jefferson County Jail awaiting his transfer to the Illinois Department of Correction.
