TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — A 58-year-old man has been sentenced to 44 years in prison for sex crimes he committed against his step-granddaughter last year.

Bradley C. Rost was in Christian County court on Friday to formally enter a plea in the case brought against him. He was charged with 24 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse.

As part of the deal he reached with prosecutors, Rost pleaded guilty to seven of the counts.

According to Christian County State’s Attorney John McWard, the minor’s mother disclosed that “something weird” was going on between Rost and his step-granddaughter as the three were living in the same home. As a result, the Taylorville Police Department started an investigation on the night of May 21, 2024. Within hours, Rost was arrested.

The specific charges against him were filed based on the age difference between him and his step-granddaughter, McWard said, and the fact that she was under the age of 13 at the time of the crime.

Prior to this crime, Rost was convicted in 1998 of the same offense, and he received a 17-year prison sentence. Had he gone to trial and been convicted, Rost would have received a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Originally, Rost was facing 6-30 years in prison, but due to his prior charge and negotiations conducted by the Christian County State’s Attorney, Rost was sentenced to 44 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The breakdown of the sentence is as follows:

• 7 years for counts 18-22
• 6 years for count 23
• 3 years for count 24
• Total: 44 years in IDOC

It is mandatory that all of these sentences be served consecutively. He was initially assessed $15,314 in fines and fees, but all of that has been waived for time already served. Before the conviction, Rost had been in custody for 477 days, meaning he received credit for $30 a day towards fines and fees.

Additionally, to preserve the emotional health and welfare of the minor, McWard said negotiations allowed the minor to not take the stand and testify.

“Hats off to the Taylorville Police Department detectives as well as Nicole Kroncke from the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor’s Office,” McWard said.