A Mercer County School Board member has been sentenced to 24 months of Second Chance Probation after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice, a Class 4 felony.
The plea was entered by 54-year-old Talbert Balmer in Mercer County Circuit Court on Thursday. In addition to probation, Balmer will pay a $500 fine, undergo an anger management evaluation, and complete 30 hours of community service. As part of the plea, a Class 3 felony charge of aggravated battery in a public place and a Class A misdemeanor charge of battery were dismissed.
Second Chance Probation allows a pathway for first-time offenders to have their charges dismissed upon successful completion of the probation period.
Balmer was arrested following an incident at the Aledo Happy Joe’s in January 2024.
He will continue to serve on the Mercer County School District Board of Education.