Laver Gets 20 Years in Prison

The man charged with sexually assaulting an Effingham woman while armed with a knife has pleaded guilty in exchange for a 20-year prison term.

59-year-old John Laver of Altamont Wednesday entered a guilty plea to a count of aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon. Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler said Laver asked the victim to let him look at some property she owns southwest of Funkhouser. Once there, Laver used duct tape to bind the victim and then sexually assaulted her while armed with the knife. The woman phoned authorities about the incident as soon as she returned to Effingham. The incident occurred in late July.

The felony count was punishable by as little as six years and as many as 40 years in prison. Kibler said Laver will have to serve at least 75% of the sentence before being eligible for parole, meaning he will be at least 76 years old before he can be released sometime in the middle of 2033.