A repeat child sex offender must remain behind bars indefinitely while undergoing psychological treatment aimed at preventing him from molesting another minor, a McHenry County judge ruled Friday.
George K. Martin, formerly of Crystal Lake, lost his bid to go free and undergo the mandatory treatment as an outpatient while living with family members in the south suburbs.
Judge Sharon Prather said that while Martin, 31, has shown progress since a jury declared him a sexually violent person earlier this year, he still has a ways to go before re-entering society.
"The court is of the opinion that his progress at this point is not enough for (Martin) to be released," Prather said.
Martin, 31, has been in a prison, detention center or a group home for most of the past 17 years as a result of sexual crimes against children.
Psychologist Robert Brucker testified Friday that Martin is a pedophile who is "substantially probable" to commit another sex crime if allowed free. Particularly troubling, he said, was that each time Martin was released from detention or prison over the past 12 years, he molested another child within a matter of months.
"It indicates that when he returns to the community he is not able to be successful in controlling his sexually deviant behavior," Brucker said.
Martin was days from parole in August 2006 after serving part of an 8-year sentence for sexually abusing a 5-year-old girl when state authorities filed a petition asking a court to declare him a sexually violent person.
Under Illinois law, a person declared sexually violent can be held in state custody indefinitely until mental health professionals and a court agree he no longer is a threat if released.
The case involving the 5-year-old girl occurred just three months after Martin had been paroled from a 12-year sentence for assaulting a 6-year-old girl in Chicago. He also spent time in a juvenile detention center and group home in the early 1990s for sexually abusing a 3-year-old girl.
Under the court's decision, Martin will remain in state custody for at least six months, when he can again ask to go free. If denied, he can petition the court annually for his release.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment