Judge calls convicted sex offender's acts in Wonder Lake 'disgusting'

McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather wanted to know Friday “why in God’s world” a 40-year-old man thought it was OK to have a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl.

James Oliver, 42, received a five-year prison sentence for having a physical relationship with an underage girl whom police caught him sexually abusing in a vehicle in Wonder Lake. He also is required to register for life as a sex offender.

The Wood Dale man accepted an offer from prosecutors in August and pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child.

He was 40 years old when police found him alone in a vehicle with the then-eighth-grade girl and a sex toy, McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Randi Freese said.

“She should have been worried about things like the middle school dance or a Constitution test,” Freese said. “Instead, she was being sexually molested by the defendant.”

The abuse occurred between
Oct. 22 and Dec. 11, 2016, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court.

Both Oliver and the victim tried to contact each other while Oliver was detained on bond at the McHenry County Jail. Oliver placed 15 calls to the girl from the jail, Freese said. The underage girl also sent Oliver several letters with a return address to make it appear as if the letters were coming from one of the man’s family members, Freese said.

In a statement Oliver made before Prather issued the sentence, he claimed to have taken full responsibility for his actions. “It was never my intention to hurt her,” Oliver said. “I would like her to know it was my fault.”

Prather responded by calling Oliver’s actions “disgusting,” and reprimanded him for abusing a child, particularly when he has five children of his own, she said.

“Mr. Oliver, do you want to tell me why in God’s world you would think it’s appropriate for a 40-year-old man to engage in a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old?” Prather said.

Oliver said he didn’t know.