James Earl Melvin Jr - Repeat Sex Offender - Gets 60 years in prison

A repeat sex offender was sentenced Friday to 60 years in prison after admitting he molested an 11-year-old girl in Carpentersville.

James Earl Melvin Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to attempted predatory criminal sexual assault and was sentenced in a negotiated plea accepted by Kane County Circuit Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon. He must serve at least 30 years.

Prosecutors said Melvin inappropriately touched the victim, who was a girl he knew, while they sat at his residence Feb. 28 in Carpentersville's Fox View Apartments. Afterward, he ran outside and flagged down a police officer to whom he confessed.

Melvin, a registered sex offender, was previously convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault in Cook County in 1998 and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

When he contacted police about his latest offense, Melvin said he needed to report the incident to his probation officer in Rockford, police said.

With six months of credit for time already served, Melvin will be about 62 before he can be eligible for release.

In addition, he must stay registered as a sex offender for life and can't have unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 18.

Authorities initially identified Melvin as a Rockford resident, but said Friday that he lived in Carpentersville.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte