‘The damage done was immeasurable’: Rodhouse given four life sentences, says case was full of ‘misdirection, misinformation’

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Jessica Fuller, a child welfare specialist for Chaddock Foster and Adoption, testified during the Austin Rodhouse sentencing hearing on Wednesday afternoon in Pike County Circuit Court that she was with Rodhouse’s two sons when they saw their mother on May 24, 2024, for the first time since she had been hospitalized on May 7, 2024.

“They were very excited to see (their mother),” Fuller said of the two-hour meeting. “(Their mother) came prepared, and her mother was with her. … They came prepared with snacks, drinks, toys. I could feel relief in the room, a lot of excitement, a lot of hugs. The visit went well.”

When the visit ended and a few tears were shed, Fuller drove the boys — ages 3 and 4 at the time — back to the foster home they had been placed in. 

“Did (the oldest son) say something to you about his mother?” Pike County Assistant State’s Attorney Leecia Carnes asked.

“He said, ‘Did someone save my mommy?’” Fuller said.

“What did you say?” Carnes asked. 

“Yes, someone saved your mommy,” Fuller said.

An eight-woman, four-man jury found Rodhouse, 31, guilty of all 19 felony charges on Nov. 8, and Judge Charles H.W. Burch sentenced him Wednesday to life sentences on four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault — a crime that typically would have a maximum sentence of 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, the life sentences were mandatory because Rodhouse committed the crime against two or more family victims. He is not eligible for parole.

Burch also sentenced Rodhouse, a Pleasant Hill native, to:

• 30 years each on two counts of child pornography for a total of 60 years.
• 15 years on one count of criminal sexual assault involving force.
• 15 years each on three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault for a total of 45 years.
• 15 years on one count of aggravated battery-torture.
• 7 years each on three counts of aggravated domestic battery for a total of 21 years.
• 7 years each on three counts of indecent solicitation of an adult for a total of 21 years.
• 5 years each on two counts of aggravated battery to a child for a total of 10 years.

Each of the sentences will be served concurrently with the life sentences.

“I do give great weight to the long-range human cost that is associated with these crimes, specifically the defendant perpetrating such severe abuse upon his former wife and two small children,” Burch said in his sentencing. “I do suspect that this is something that they may well struggle to cope with for the rest of their lives, and the damage done by Mr. Rodhouse to them was immeasurable.

“I can say the evidence that has been presented and that was set forth to trial was the worst scenario that I’ve ever been confronted with in the courtroom, and that’s over 10 years on the bench and 20 years working in the criminal courts.”

Rodhouse, who did not testify during his trial, said during his statement of allocution that he would not comment on the “misdirection, misinformation or perjury” that he believed was prevalent in the case. He also thanked defense attorney Casey Schnack for providing an argument “for the devil’s advocate.”

“Miss Carnes mentioned earlier that it’s hard to forget a lie, and I would have to agree, especially in this case,” he said. “On the original police statements from (his wife), I was under the impression that this had happened more than five times, and I was accused of holding her down and forcing her to do it with force. Then during the trial, to announce she only did this once or twice, and I was not even present at the time it happened. 

“Whatever sentence you decide to impose is fine with me. I’ve had so much relief knowing my sons have not been assaulted that many times, with all the horrors that I actually imagined could have happened and would have happened from the rumors that were going around with the limited knowledge I have available.

“Whatever you decide, your honor … whatever’s fine with your conscience, I understand.”

Out of all the evidence Carnes presented during the two-week trial, she said Wednesday that Rodhouse made one statement in January 2024 that “just floored” her.

“‘Never try to play me at a game I created as a kid and expect me to lose as an adult,’” Carnes said. “Those were the words he said to (Rodhouse’s wife, referred to in court documents as “CC”) after he had finally gotten her to give in to that horrible face tattoo and then proceeds to give her two other derogatory tattoos. He’s telling her, this is his game, with the lies and the manipulation, getting whatever he wants, doing whatever he wants, to get what he wants, and it escalated over the years.

“That was one of the truest moments when he wrote that (in a social media message to his wife). Like, that’s who he is. It’s just a game. The rest of us know this isn’t a game. He just wants to control everything and everyone around him, and he has … I don’t know how to describe, an insane sexual need that is fueled by hurting other people, causing pain, causing shame, degrading them — including his own children.”

Schnack said she couldn’t do much during the sentencing hearing because of the work by lawmakers in Springfield who created mandatory sentencing laws.

“I wish it wasn’t that way, but that’s just the way it is,” she said to Burch. “His fate was predetermined by the legislature long before we stepped into this courtroom today. I would like to think there are things that I could stand up and say today that would make that different, but it’s not going to change the outcome here. … The people in Springfield think that people in this position should go to prison for the rest of their natural life, so that’s where he is going to be headed.”

After referring to Rodhouse’s “positive qualities and past contributions to the community” from letters submitted by his father and grandmother, Schnack said, “I would kindly ask that Austin get a shot at redemption.”

Ereka Glass, an investigator with the Major Crimes Unit for the Illinois State Police, read a victim impact statement from CC, who was in the courtroom Wednesday. She wrote that she has been diagnosed with severe anxiety, depression and PTSD.

“People question why I stayed and endured the pain and abuse,” CC wrote. “I have two reasons: my sons. As much as I dreamed of running away with them, I knew there was no way it was ever going to be safe for us just to do that. I didn’t trust anyone to help me. At the time, the only way I knew how to keep them safe was to stay. If I left or Austin killed me, it scared me to think of the life and vicious cycle that surely would have perpetuated with the boys.”

CC wrote that her sons are safe, attend school, have started karate classes and attend church. She and her boys are undergoing therapy, and she is going through steps to have her tattoos removed.

“Austin, I want you to know this: You may have broken me, but I am not shattered,” she wrote. “I’m picking up pieces, and like the Japanese practice of kintsugi, I am slowly gluing all the pieces of myself back together with gold. I will move forward with peace, happiness and harmony in my life. You will get to know another thing about me. I am going to use the horror you put me through to help other women. I will turn it into a story of triumph and beauty.”

More stories about Rodhouse’s arrest and trial are available here.