Bolingbrook man gets 15 years for sexually abusing child

August 17

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a Bolingbrook man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for molesting a child who was visiting his home in December 2007.

A jury in April found Sylwester Gawlak, 42, of 9 Hidden Valley Court, guilty of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak handed down the sentence on Monday.

Gawlak sexually abused the girl, who was under 13, on Dec. 7, 2007 in his home. Prosecutors James Long and Dant Foulk entered into evidence a letter from the Will County Jail in which Gawlak expressed embarrassment over the allegations and urged a family member to send the victim out of the country to avoid testifying against him.

The defendant also acknowledged to Bolingbrook investigators who interviewed him that he had hugged and kissed the young victim while he was naked