Joliet man gets 10 years for sexually abusing teenager

July 14

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a Joliet man who was found guilty of sexually abusing a teen-age girl in 2007 and 2008 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Leon Franklin, 38, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in September 2009. The jury deliberated for less than 20 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict.

Judge Robert Livas sentenced Franklin on Tuesday (July 13, 2010) to five years in prison for each count to run consecutively for a total of 10 years.

Franklin sexually abused the girl, who was 16 at the time, on two occasions, once in December 2007 and once in February 2008. The victim was in the care of an adult family friend when the sexual abuse occurred. Franklin was living at the residence at the time.

The family friend arrived home to find Franklin partially undressed shortly after one incident, and she contacted police. During an interview by a specialist at the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, the victim reported the other occasion during which she was sexually abused.

Assistant State’s Attorneys Chris Messina and Derek Ewanic prosecuted the case.