CLAY COUNTY — Clay County State’s Attorney Phillip M. Givens is emphasizing to people the importance of taking their probation sentences seriously in his county, with the announcement of a 29-year-old Flora man being sentenced to prison after violating the terms of his probation.

According to Givens, John R. Sherman, was sentenced to 24 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections Wednesday, after he was found guilty of violating his probation on multiple occasions by failing to report as directed to Clay County Probation and failing to complete a substance abuse evaluation.

Sherman reportedly admitted to the violations in Court on July 31, 2023, and he was sentenced Wednesday.

He was originally placed on 24 months’ probation on February 18, 2022 for Class 3 felony Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

Flora police investigated the initial crime, while Clay County Probation conducted the investigations into the probation violations.

Givens said he hopes Wednesday’s sentence shows other defendants there are consequences for violating probation and they should take the terms of their probation seriously or they will end up in prison.