Princeton man receives prison sentence

PRINCETON — A Princeton man has been sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty in Bureau County Court to the Class 4 felony of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, heroin.

Tory A. Turpen, 26, entered his guilty plea Feb. 8 before Associate Circuit Judge C. J. Hollerich. Turpen was sentenced to two and one-half years in prison and ordered to pay fines, fees and court costs totaling $909 upon his release from prison. Turpen was also certified by the court to be eligible for the Impact Incarceration program within the Department of Corrections.

The Impact Incarceration Program is a boot-style camp program designed for youthful non-violent offenders. Participants receive physical training, education, and drug and alcohol counseling. If the defendant successfully completes the four-or-six month program, his sentence is considrerd served. If the defendant is not accepted into the program or does not successfully complete the program, he serves his prison sentence as ordered.

Turpen was represented in court by Public Defender Michael Henneberry. Prosecuting the case was State’s Attorney Patrick Herrmann.

On Jan. 4, the Princeton Police Department responded to Perry Memorial Hospital where Turpen was being treated. Found in Turpen’s possession were plastic bags in his socks and one in his pocket. The contents of the bags were later determined to be less than one gram of heroin. Turpen was then charged with the Class 4 felony of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.