JEFFERSON COUNTY — A 33-year-old Mt. Vernon man was sentenced Thursday in Jefferson County Court to 30 years in prison after he earlier pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13.

Charles Mick was arrested in August 2016 and charged with three Class X counts predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13 and three Class 2 felony counts aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 13.

Mick was found mentally fit last summer to stand trial on the charges of sexually assaulting two children.

Then in March Mick filed an open plea of guilty to a Class X and the Class 2 charges. He was sentenced Thursday to 30 years on the Class X charge and concurrent 7-year terms on the Class 2 charges.

Because one of the charges is a Class X, Mick will have to serve 85 percent of the sentence and 3-years to life on parole when released.

Mick has remained in custody since his 2016 arrest and will be transported directly to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun thanked assistant prosecutor Sonja Lingon for her hard work in bringing the Mick case to justice and he thanked the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the investigation.

While the plea agreement only included charges against one victim, both children took part in Thursday’s sentencing hearing.