Wesselman Ordered to Prison to Serve Earlier Sentence

The case of an Effingham man sentenced in absentia to prison four years ago has been concluded with the man on his way to prison.

67-year-old Herman Wesselman had been charged in 2009 and found guilty in early 2011 of felony driving while his license is revoked. Wesselman had been sentenced at the time to 30 months in prison, but did not show up for the sentencing hearing. A warrant had been active for his arrest and was served when Wesselman was arrested by city police in Effingham on Saturday.

During a court appearance Wednesday morning, Judge Koester noted that the Court did not have jurisdiction over the 2009 felony case, so did not entertain any discussion on the matter. Koester then remanded Wesselman to the County Jail for transfer to the Illinois Department of Corrections to begin his sentence. 

Special Prosecutor David Rands, who had prosecuted the case for former State's Attorney Ed Deters, Wednesday dismissed a 2010 felony driving while license revoked charge and related misdemeanor matters, so the case appears at an end.