McHenry man found guilty of repeatedly assaulting child over 5-year span

A McHenry man was found guilty Monday of sexually assaulting a child he knew multiple times over about a five-year span.

Ramiro Gonsalez-Garcia, 43, who had his case heard in a bench trial before McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge in October, was found guilty on nine counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child younger than 13, Class X felonies.

The sentencing range on each of the felonies is from six to 30 years in prison, and he would be required to serve each sentence consecutively.

Sentencing is set for Jan. 12.

He was accused of assaulting the child on occasions during 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.

In statements made during the trial, Assistant State’s Attorney Jim Newman said Gonsalez-Garcia was “entrusted” with caring for the child at the times the assaults occurred from the time the child was four years old until the child was in fifth grade.

Gonsalez-Garcia has been held in the McHenry County jail since his arrest Feb. 2, 2020, in lieu of a $400,000 bond. Upon adjudicating him guilty, Coppedge revoked his bond.

Over the years, the child said Gonsalez-Garcia would allow access to a tablet only after the sexual abuse occurred. Once he brought the child a bunny rabbit, but said the abuse had to happen before the child could have the rabbit, according to trial testimony.

The child said the abuse happened “a lot of times” over the years and it hurt, but the child never reported it out of fear of being hurt by Gonsalez-Garcia.