Man gets 30 years for sexually assaulting child

November 21

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Tuesday that a Joliet man who was recently convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl in 1999 and 2000 was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Willie Johnson, 24, of the 400 block of South May Street, was found guilty on two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child on Nov. 4.

Circuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak on Tuesday sentenced Johnson to 15 years in prison on each Class X felony count. Johnson must serve the two sentences consecutive to one another.

Johnson has prior sex offenses and was arrested in February for failing to register as a sex offender. While in the custody of Joliet police for that offense, he stated he had had sex with an underage girl during 1999 and 2000.  The girl was 11 when the sexual assaults began; she was 12 when they ended.

Joliet Police Detective Anthony Nowak followed up on the statements Johnson made while in custody.  Nowak contacted the victim, who is now 18. She confirmed for police that Johnson had sex with her. She also testified against him during his trial.

“Judge Bertani-Tomczak’s tough sentence will take a dangerous sexual predator off our streets for a long time,” Glasgow said.

Glasgow also praised Nowak, a recent recipient of the police officer of the year award from the Exchange Club, for vigorously pursuing these 6-year-old allegations and bringing Johnson to justice. 

And he credited Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Fitzgerald and Mary Fillipitch for handling a difficult case with skill and sensitivity.

Bertani-Tomczak also sentenced Johnson to eight years for failing to register as a sex offender, which was the initial reason Joliet police arrested him in February. That sentence will be served concurrently with his 30-year sentence.