Arkansas man charged with kidnapping Quincy woman in July 2021 pleads guilty to two felonies, gets 20-year prison sentence

QUINCY — An Arkansas man pled guilty Friday morning in Adams County Circuit Court to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in exchange for a 20-year sentence to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Mario Mason, 40, of Turrell, Ark., entered his plea with his attorney, public defender Vanessa Pratt, in front of Judge Amy Lannerd. She sentenced Mason to 10 years in the DOC on each count. The two counts will run consecutively.

Illinois’ “Truth in Sentencing” for violent crimes also applies to Mason’s case. He must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he can get out of prison.

Mason faced between six and 30 years in the Department of Corrections for the two aggravated criminal sexual assault charges, both Class X felonies. One count of aggravated kidnapping, also a Class X felony, plus two counts of threatening a public official and single counts of kidnapping, aggravated domestic battery, theft, aggravated battery in a public place and aggravated battery were dropped as part of the plea.

Mason was charged with taking Tabitha Campbell of Quincy against her will on July 17, 2021. Quincy Police began its investigation two days later. A search warrant was conducted in a room at the Welcome Inn, which led to the discovery of evidence relating to an alleged aggravated domestic battery and kidnapping.

Campbell was found July 21, 2021 in Marked Tree, Ark., after escaping from Mason. 

Mason was captured Sept. 14, 2021 in Marshall County, Ky. A stolen vehicle used in the kidnapping in July was found in Marshall County. Mason allegedly drove the vehicle and fled from Marshall County Sheriff’s deputies and Benton (Ky.) Police, taking them on a pursuit in rural Marshall County. He parked the vehicle in a subdivision and fled into a wooded area.

Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Benton police, Marshall County Fire Rescue Squad, Calloway County Fire, Ledbetter Fire, Kentucky State Police, Marshall County Constable 2 and Marshall County EMS began an extensive search using drones, police canines, ATVs and UTVs of the wooded area. Mason eventually was taken into custody late in the evening.