The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Publisher
By 8:00 a.m., Saturday, January 5th, former Gulfport Marshal Lonnie Bigger arrived at the Henderson County Jail in Oquawka to begin his sentence of 6 1/2 years for "Criminal Sexual Assault" of a 16 year old minor.
Special Prosecutor, Ed Parkinson, had asked for 12 years in prison. Illinois law requires a 5 year minimum for the offense.
After the 2-hour sentencing hearing, December 20th, Bigger left the courthouse in a "dead sprint", falling at one point gashing his head, but on Saturday morning, Bigger seemed calm and collected and ready to get on with it, according to Henderson County Sheriff Mark Lumbeck.
"He was completely calm and in good spirits," Lumbeck said.
A sister and daughter of Bigger's brought him to the jail prior to the 8 a.m. time and he remained in custody until Tuesday morning, January 7th. At 6 a.m. that morning, Bigger was transported to Joliet at the Illinois Department of Correction processing headquarters. From there he will be sent to a prison somewhere in Illinois, the sheriff said, "I do not know where."
When asked if there was a special prison they take police officers to when they are sentenced, Sheriff Lumbeck said he asked that question of the Dept. of Correction and they told him, "No, they are all taken to Joliet where they are processed."
Sheriff Lumbeck could not say what Bigger's actual time would be but said it begins the same as it does in the Henderson County Jail:day for day. That is, a day is taken off the sentence for every day a prisoner shows good conduct. There is still a movement in Illinois that is trying to pass the "truth in sentencing" into law that will force a criminal to actually serve the time he or she has been sentenced to serve. The shortage of prison space has always been used as an excuse for the early release of prisoners. In the victim's impact statement, she stated:
"This time, the world won't look the other way because he is a cop:This time there will be consequences for his actions. This time, this day, at least, Lonnie Bigger will get what's coming to him."