Defendant appealed from a circuit court order finding him a sexually dangerous person and committing him to the Department of Corrections. On appeal, defendant argued that the circuit court applied the incorrect standard when deciding his motion for a directed verdict and in finding that he had demonstrated propensities to commit sexual assault or sexual molestation of a child. The appellate court affirmed, rejecting defendant’s argument that the term “child” only applied to individuals under the age of 13 and instead concluding that the term includes anyone under the age of 18 years old and finding that the State had presented sufficient evidence to support the trial court’s order, including multiple past offenses that demonstrated the required propensity. (McDADE and PETERSON, concurring)
Illinois Appellate Court
Criminal Court
Sexually Dangerous Persons Act