Woodstock man accused of grooming, abusing 2 teens is placed on house arrest pretrial

A Woodstock man accused of grooming and sexually abusing two girls, ages 14 and 17, was released from McHenry County jail pretrial Wednesday and put on house arrest.

Brandon Lloyd, 20, of the 1800 block of Woodside Drive, is charged with one count of soliciting a person to provide child pornography, a Class 1 felony, as well as three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, possessing images of children being sexually abused and grooming, said Judge Carl Metz, who presided over Lloyd’s hearing.

In arguing that Lloyd be detained in the county jail pretrial, Assistant State’s Attorney Steven Gregorowicz cited the age of the girls Lloyd is accused of abusing. Lloyd, the prosecutor said, has frequented places where he knew young girls were present and has contacted underaged girls on his home computer. Lloyd met the 14-year-old at a roller skating rink in Crystal Lake, the prosecutor said. He gave alcohol to teenagers ”to try to put them at ease” then abused them, authorities allege. He also is accused of soliciting them for illicit photos and sending them photos of himself “from the comfort of his own home,” the prosecutor said.

“He got [the 14-year-old] drunk and told her she should not tell anybody about” the alleged sexual abuse “because it is illegal,” Gregorowicz said.

Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger said Lloyd scored a zero on a dangerousness evaluation, has no criminal history, lives with his parent and has a job. He also said that at the time Lloyd allegedly asked the 17-year-old for lewd photos, she was five days from turning 18.

“Had this been a week later, this would not be charged,” Giesinger said in arguing that Lloyd be released with conditions, including a no-contact order.

Details of the allegations came to light during a forensic interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center after the 14-year-old reported the alleged offenses, the prosecutor said. Gregorowicz said Lloyd is dangerous to the two alleged victims and any other young girls in the community.

Metz said the state proved it is probable that Lloyd committed the alleged offenses but that, based on not finding him a “present” threat no condition can mitigate – which is required under the SAFE-T Act – he released Lloyd with conditions.

The judge ordered that Lloyd take a sex offender evaluation and be placed on electronic monitoring and house arrest. Metz imposed a curfew in which Lloyd must be home between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Lloyd also is not allowed to leave the state and must turn in any guns and his firearm owner’s identification card. He must abide by a no-contact order with the two alleged victims and any minor. He is prohibited from using or obtaining any Apple device or accessing any social media or internet unless it is for work.

Lloyd is due in court Sept. 4. If convicted on the Class 1 felony, Lloyd could be sentenced to prison for four to 15 years.