An Illinois man recently pleaded guilty to grooming charges after he sent a sexually explicit message to one of his former students—a sophomore—over a social media platform. The teacher pleaded guilty to one count of grooming in a negotiated plea deal that saw prosecutors drop another charge of indecent solicitation of a minor and another charge of sending sexually explicit material to a minor. The teacher was accused of sending sexually explicit messages and videos to a 15-year-old girl. The teacher worked at the school for about six weeks.
As a part of the negotiated plea deal, the teacher will be required to serve at least 90 days in the county jail. He will additionally be on 24 months of probation, and he will have to register as a sex offender for at least 10 years. He will also need to undergo a sex offender evaluation.
What is a Sex Offender Evaluation?
Sex offenses are considered willful acts of violence and are treated as such under the law. Nonetheless, the law recognizes that many offenders have or had disturbing home lives, been the victim of sexual violence themselves, suffer from sex addiction, or have untreated mental health problems. The goal of the evaluation is to determine what treatment might be made available to the offender to reduce their risk of offending again.
What is Sex Offender Treatment Like?
Sex offender treatment focuses on improving the mental health of the offender while reminding them of the social and psychological damage to their victims. The evaluation is aimed at determining what mental health treatments might be made available to perpetrators so that they can handle the impulses that led them to commit the crime. This means psychotherapy, medication, group therapy, and more. These treatments have proven effective when the perpetrator has the moral foundation to regard their conduct as harmful. Those who want to change can.
Analyzing the Case Against the Teacher
The teacher is lucky that law enforcement did not allow him to attempt to meet up with the student. If so, he could have been charged with a worse crime. The solicitation itself is a crime under the law, and so he was charged with “grooming” or “enticement” of a minor. However, once you travel to meet with someone you believe is an underage victim, the penalties escalate. In many cases, law enforcement will take over the accounts of minors who report sexual contact with authority figures to entice them to travel to meet the victim. Once you do so, they pounce. In this case, the matter did not get that far. A maximum sentence of 90 days and two years of probation is a lot better than several years in state or federal prison.
Talk to a Chicago Sex Crimes Attorney Today
If you have been charged with a sex crime in Illinois, it is important to get out in front of the charges immediately. Call David Freidberg today at (312) 560-7100 and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.