Former School Counselor Pleads Guilty to Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Student

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Criminal Defense

According to the Chicago Tribune, a 35-year-old Warrenville man, who formerly served as a counselor and track coach at Naperville North High School, pled guilty in DuPage County to one count of criminal sex abuse involving a student. Although the case was set for trial, the man decided to plead guilty at the last minute to the criminal charge.

Law enforcement officials arrested the man in February 2011 and he was charged with a sex crime after school officials discovered that he had been involved with a student who was under the age of 18. The school also suspended the man from his employment; he had worked at Naperville North since 2006. As part of his guilty plea, the man admitted that he had touched the girl inappropriately at his residence during the summer of 2010.

The man will face a sentencing hearing on February 19. He could receive a prison sentence ranging from one to three years, although he also could be placed on probation.

As this case illustrates, sex crimes are serious offenses that can carry potentially severe sentences, which may include incarceration, fines, probation, and placement on the sex offender registry. As a result, anyone who is accused of a sex crime must take immediate action to defend himself or herself against such charges. Although the facts and circumstances in this case may have led this man to ultimately plead guilty, not all cases are alike. Evidence of reported sex crimes can be based on mere allegations from a witness who may not be totally reliable. There are some strong defenses available for people accused of such crimes, particularly when the evidence may not be as credible as in other types of cases.

If you or a loved one is accused of a sex crime, you should immediately contact an experienced Naperville criminal defense attorney for assistance. With the help of skilled defense counsel, you can build the strongest defense possible to the sex crime charges against you.