Peru man gets 25 years for sexually assaulting girl

A Peru man was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting a girl younger than 13.

When offered a chance to speak in La Salle County Circuit Court, 36-year-old Aaron P. Curtin took a pass.

“No, your honor,” Curtin said. “I appreciate it, but I don’t have anything to say.”

Curtin’s silence, the judge said, “tells me you have no remorse.”

Judge Cynthia M. Raccuglia promptly rejected Curtin’s bid for a minimum sentence and gave him the full amount prosecutors sought. The sentence is subject to the state Truth in Sentencing Act, requiring certain felons to serve 85% of their prison time.

Curtin was charged in 2020 – the case was prolonged partly by the coronavirus pandemic – following a joint investigation between the Peru Police Department, La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office and Department of Children and Family Services.

Despite the repeated delays, Curtin entered a blind plea in March to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony with an extended range of six to 60 years in prison because Curtin held a position of trust and authority over the victim.

On Friday, defense attorney Brad Popurella called the state’s request for 25 years “excessive” and failed to consider several mitigating factors. Curtin had a limited criminal history and a record of community service before a 2019 accident that left him with neuropathy.

Cumulatively, Popurella argued, Curtin’s prior good conduct merited a sentencing reduction. He suggested six to eight years

But Assistant La Salle County State’s Attorney Jeremiah Adams argued for 25 years, citing the victim’s trauma – she declined to submit a written or oral victim impact statement – and the need for deterrence.

“There’s almost nothing you can say how atrocious [is] the offense he’s committed,” Adams said, adding later, “The ripple effect of what he did to her will last for the rest of this lady’s life.”