A Glen Carbon man was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child.

In December, a Madison County jury found Jesse W. Chartrand, 43, guilty on a single count of criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse for acts he committed with the child from August 2019 to July 2020.

The Belleville News-Democrat does not identify minors or victims of sexual assault. In a victim-impact statement, however, the victim described her emotional struggles since the assaults occurred.

“You know that feeling when someone dies? When the whole world stops and it feels like nothing is real? That’s kind of how it feels,” the victim stated.

The victim’s mother, in a statement to the court, said the level of pain the child has endured is “something no child should have to deal with.”

During the trial, Chartrand claimed that he had suffered delusions and asked the jury to find him not guilty by reason of insanity.

Assistant State’s Attorney Emily Bell, however, showed jurors a videotaped interview of Chartrand, conducted by Glen Carbon Police. Chartrand showed no signs of being delusional during that interview, Bell argued.

“He was legally sane,” Bell said during her closing argument in the December trial. “He is responsible for what he did.”

Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine commended the work of Bell and Assistant State’s Attorney Alison Foley, along with Glen Carbon Police. He also commended the Child Advocacy Center, which conducted the forensic interview of the victim and provided services to her.

Circuit Judge Kyle Napp’s sentence includes a 30-year prison term for predatory criminal sexual assault, a five-year term for one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and a five-year term for another count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

“This perpetrator caused immeasurable suffering and trauma for the victim and the victim’s family,” Haine said in a statement. “Yet they had the courage to come forward and to assist in the investigation and prosecution. While no punishment could possibly make up for what they’ve experienced, we pray that this sentence brings them some degree of healing.

“The State’s Attorney’s Office will always aggressively prosecute sex offenders who prey on innocent children. My office is committed to working with law enforcement and the Madison County Child Advocacy Center to hold the perpetrators accountable in these types of heinous cases.”