Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jennifer Watson announced on Monday that Takoda Harbaugh, 21 of Carlinville, was sentenced to 25 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by Associate Judge Joshua A. Meyer for committing forcible sexual assault against a victim over the age of 60, a class X felony.
Harbaugh has been held in the Macoupin County jail since his arrest on November 3, 2017. He pleaded guilty to the offense in May 2019 and in the negotiated plea, the armed robbery charge, theft of an iPhone, and burglary of a motor vehicle were dismissed.
Evidence presented in the hearing showed Harbaugh approached the victim armed with a knife on October 19, 2017, threatened her at knifepoint and sexually assaulted her. Harbaugh was arrested after DNA evidence tied him to the crime.
“The sentence delivered today moves the healing process one step forward for the victim and sends a clear statement that if you commit a sexually violent offense in Macoupin County, you will spend decades in prison,” said State’s Attorney Jennifer Watson. “I want to thank Carlinville Police Department for their outstanding job on this case. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison for his exemplary work holding Mr. Harbaugh responsible for this heinous crime.”
The charge carries a sentencing range of 6 to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The defendant will not be eligible for parole prior to 21 years and 3 months from his arrest date, which accounts for 85 percent of his sentence.