Bloomington woman given 14-years in prison for sexually abusing a teenager

Posted on February 23, 2023

*Amanda Peterson, 43, sentenced to 14-years in prison for sexually abusing a teenager. (McLean County Sheriff’s Office)*

BLOOMINGTON – A McLean County judge has sentenced a Bloomington woman to 14-years in prison for sexually abusing a teenager in December of 2020.

Amanda Peterson, 43, and her husband were charged almost two years ago with molesting a teenager they knew at a Bloomington hotel.

A jury late last year found Peterson guilty on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Prosecutors asked for a 28-year sentence because Peterson had been on probation for a felony drug crime, but Judge Casey Costigan earlier this week gave Peterson 14-years.

Charges are pending against Peterson’s husband, Justin Nelson, 40, from Bloomington.

Nelson’s trial is scheduled for June. He remains jailed on $750,000 bond, requiring him to post 10% of that or $75,000 cash to be released.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…