A University student became the victim of a home invasion and sexual assault on July 8, 2021. The perpetrator, Kevin Finley of Urbana, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Jan. 4 by a Champaign County judge.
The student, now 29, was “awakened by a stranger standing in her residence, brandishing a metal object she believed to be a firearm and making threatening demands” on the night of the crime, according to a statement from the Urbana Police Department.
Finley was arrested three weeks later in 2021 and faced felony charges including criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse. At the time, he also faced drug charges.
In May 2023, after a multi-day trial, Finley was found guilty by a Champaign County jury. The prosecution’s case included DNA and digital evidence.
“Testimonies from patrol officers and detectives, as well as a firsthand account from the victim herself, further solidified the case against Finley,” the UPD said in a statement.
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Finley was suspected of inappropriately touching several women in Urbana before his 2021 arrest. He was not criminally charged, police said. However, Finley was also arrested in 2015 for human trafficking and procuring a person under 18 for prostitution in Florida.
Judge Randall Rosenbaum sentenced Finley to 35 years for aggravated criminal sexual assault and 10 years for criminal sexual abuse after hearing associated evidence and testimonies.
“The Urbana Police Department wishes to express gratitude to all involved in bringing justice to the victim and ensuring that the perpetrator was held accountable for his actions,” the UPD said in a statement.
Confidential support for survivors of sexual violence is available from Rape Advocacy, Counseling and Educational Services in Champaign-Urbana. The University’s Counseling Center also offers resources for victims of sexual assault and violence.
