On December 16, 2020, Benny Helms pleaded guilty to one count of Predatory Criminal Sexual

Assault of a Child and was sentenced to sixteen (16) years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Helms must serve at least 85% of his sentence and register as a sex offender for life. Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child is a Class X felony which is non-probational and carries a possible sentence of six (6) to sixty (60) years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

In November of 2018, Helms moved into the home where the child victim resided. Shortly thereafter, the child victim reported to her mother that Helms was touching her inappropriately. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Helms committed numerous sexual acts with the child victim over a period of time spanning approximately three (3) to four (4) weeks.