Man sentenced to 120 years for kidnapping and assault
Circuit Judge Tim Berkley imposed a 120-year sentence following an abduction from a Collinsville coffee shop parking lot
An Illinois man received a 120-year prison sentence on Thursday after being convicted of kidnapping a woman from a Starbucks parking lot and sexually assaulting her. Circuit Judge Tim Berkley handed down the sentence to 42-year-old Timothy J. Dubois Jr., who was found guilty in May of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office announced the sentencing details in a press release. The initial abduction occurred on November 11, 2022, in a Starbucks parking lot located in Collinsville, Illinois. Dubois entered the victim's vehicle with a knife and forced her to drive approximately eight miles to a residential area in Troy, Illinois, where the sexual assault took place. He then drove her back to the Collinsville business district, placed a coat over her head, ordered her to count to 100 and fled the scene.
Investigators tracked the victim's Apple Watch to locate the crime scene, where they recovered a discarded condom containing DNA from both the victim and an unknown male. Police utilised forensic genetic genealogy to identify a list of close relatives, which eventually led detectives to Dubois. During the trial, jurors heard a recorded confession where Dubois stated he chose the location because that is where women go, adding that he targeted the victim because she was alone.
Defence attorneys argued for leniency based on Dubois's veteran status. However, prosecutors revealed the victim testified that Dubois claimed he deserved to have her because the incident occurred on Veterans Day. The Telegraph reported that Dubois received 80 years for two aggravated criminal sexual assault charges, 30 years for kidnapping and 10 years for two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, meaning he will serve a minimum of 68 years. Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine stated that the outcome reflected a sentence that fits the crime, whilst Collinsville Police Chief Brett Boerm told reporters that a monster had been put away.