A 34-year-old Mt. Vernon man, Dustin Phillips has been sentenced to 48 years in prison after pleading guilty to three Class X felony charges of dissemination of pornography depicting a victim under the age of 13. The sentence was handed down last Tuesday by Associate Judge Jerry Crisel in Jefferson County Circuit Court.
Phillips was arrested following the execution of a search warrant at his Mount Vernon residence in August of last year. Investigators discovered evidence of child pornography in the home, leading to his arrest. The case was prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General’s office.
Judge Crisel sentenced Phillips to 16 years in prison for each conviction, with the sentences to run consecutively, resulting in a total of 48 years behind bars. In addition to the prison term, Phillips was ordered to pay a $6,000 fine, as well as fees and court costs totaling $7,314. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release.