MARION COUNTY — The Fifth Appellate Court in Mt. Vernon has dismissed the appeal of a 28-year-old Centralia man seeking to have his conviction for sexually assaulting a young girl overturned.

Jerad Peoples was convicted in Marion County Court after he failed to appear at his August 2017 bench trial despite being advised previously that he could be tried in absentia if he failed to appear at trial.

Peoples was subsequently found guilty of the Class X felony charge against him of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13.

Authorities reportedly discovered later that Peoples was in the hospital at the time, but due to his failure to appear at trial, a warrant had been issued for his arrest and the $25,000 cash bond he had posted early in the case was revoked.

Peoples appealed his conviction. He was appointed an appellate defender to represent him in the appeal and his defense attorney on the initial case was allowed to withdraw.

The Appellate Court dismissed the case this week for lack of jurisdiction and remanded it back to Marion County Court for sentencing.

Peoples has remained in the Marion County Jail during the entire appellate process.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled, however, a Class X felony is punishable by between 6 and 60 years in prison.