Cook County Sex Crimes Attorney

In Illinois, sexual assault, also referred to as rape, is one of the most serious sex crimes an individual can be charged with. Specific instances of sexual assault include:

• statutory rape (sexual assault against an underage child, regardless of whether consent was granted);
• sexual assault against the mentally disabled;
• sexual assault using the threat of force.

According to state law, a person commits a crime of sexual assault when they engage in sexual penetration using force or the threat of force without the other person’s consent and while knowing that person lacks the capacity to give consent (such as due to their age or mental fitness). The offense becomes aggravated sexual assault if the offender used a weapon, makes death threats, or assaults a child younger than 8 years old or who is mentally disabled.

What is the Punishment For Sexual Assault?

The penalties for sexual assault will depend on the severity of the offense and whether the offender has prior convictions:

• 1^st conviction – Class 1 felony punishable by 4-15 years in prison
• 2^nd and subsequent conviction – Class X felony punishable by 30-60 years in prison

Aggravated sexual assault is a Class X felony punishable by up to life in prison with a mandatory sentence of at least 6-30 years.

Sex Offender Registration

Another serious consequence of a sex crime conviction is required sex offender registration. Most sex offenses will require the convicted individual to publicly register with local law enforcement as a sex offender, including:

• sexual offenses involving a child;
• criminal sexual assault;
• indecent solicitation of an adult;
• a third or subsequent conviction for public indecency;
• sexual misconduct with a disabled person;
• kidnapping;
• first-degree murder.

Sex offenders are required to register for a period of 10 years starting from the date of their conviction, and they must go in person to re-register once a year. After the 10 years are over, their information will no longer be publicly available on the registry.

Individuals labeled as Sexually Dangerous or Sexually Violent must also register for a period of 10 years, but they need to register every 90 days. Offenders classified as Sexual Predators or who were convicted of first-degree murder must register for life. 

Failing to register as required constitutes a Class 3 felony punishable by an additional 2-5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. A second failure to register is a Class 2 felony punishable by 3-7 years in the Department of Corrections.

What Are Sex Offenders Not Allowed To Do?

Note that registered sex offenders are prohibited from going to the following areas:

• within 500 feet of any school, property of the school, or daycare facility attended by children 18 years or younger;
• within 500 feet of any park where children under the age of 18 are present unless the person is with their own child.

Offenders are also prohibited from residing within 500 feet of any school attended by children under the age of 18 and within 500 feet of a playground or child daycare center.

The consequences of a sex crime conviction last beyond the jail sentence. As a registered sex offender, you will be barred from going to certain places and will face an enormous amount of social stigma, making it difficult for you to reset your life. 

Contact Our Sex Crimes Attorney Today

If you have been wrongfully accused of a sex crime, it is critical that you hire an experienced and reputable lawyer to defend you. Attorney William Wolf has obtained numerous not-guilty verdicts for his clients in the past, including having a rape conviction overturned – one of the toughest outcomes to get for a sex crime.