Oklahoma man found guilty of inappropriately touching girl in Crystal Lake, acquitted of sexual abuse charges

A 40-year-old Oklahoma man on Thursday was found guilty of touching a female relative inappropriately but acquitted of sexually abusing the girl.

Oddey J. Helms was handcuffed and returned to the McHenry County Jail after Thursday’s ruling.

McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt ruled Helms was guilty of domestic battery charges stemming from allegations that he had inappropriate contact with the girl, then 15, in 2018. Wilbrandt, however, found Helms not guilty of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, noting there wasn’t enough proof that Helms committed the acts for “sexual gratification,” the judge said.

Wilbrandt announced the verdict at the end of a two-day trial during which the judge determined whether Helms was guilty instead of a jury. Although portions of the victim’s and Helms’ testimonies contradicted one another, several pivotal details were uncontested, McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Miller said in court Thursday.

“What [the victim] said happened is what happened,” Miller said. “The defendant is guilty.”

Helms’ attorney, Francisco Botto, however, suggested the allegations might have something to do with the victim’s mother being upset about Helms’ plans to move back to Illinois.

“She was very unhappy about that,” Botto said.

McHenry County sheriff’s deputies arrested Helms at a Crystal Lake hotel in 2018 after receiving a report that he sexually abused a juvenile relative.

Helms had arrived from Oklahoma uninvited for Thanksgiving at an estranged family member’s house in Crystal Lake and asked to stay for several nights, the victim’s mother testified.

The woman agreed to let Helms stay but days later told him to leave.

During the course of his visit, Helms was accused of inappropriately touching a female relative while they were alone in the bedroom where she was staying.

The girl disclosed some of the alleged abuse to her mother in person and later divulged more through a text message, prosecutors said.

After learning the extent of the allegations, the victim’s mother kicked Helms out of the home, she said.

Helms testified Thursday that he didn’t question why he had to leave, claiming, “I had no clue why. I just didn’t want to deal with it.”

Helms also didn’t ask questions when police arrived at the Crystal Lake hotel where he was renting a room. Citing his military background, Helms said he opened the door and held out his hands, which officers almost immediately placed in cuffs.

“I did what they told me to do,” Helms said.

On the stand Thursday, Helms denied having any sexual contact with the girl.

“I might have tapped her on the arm or given her a hug and a kiss goodnight,” Helms said.

However, Wilbrandt determined that Helms did have inappropriate contact with the girl.

“I think that her testimony is mostly credible,” Wilbrandt said. “The defendant’s testimony, I think, was less so.”

Although domestic battery charges can sometimes result from physical altercations between household members, Illinois also defines the act as making “physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature” with a family or household member.

In that regard, Wilbrandt found Helms guilty of two misdemeanor counts of domestic battery.

For Helms to be found guilty of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, prosecutors would have needed to prove that Helms’ contact with the victim was specifically “for the purpose of sexual gratification,” according to Illinois law.

“I think it was certainly an unreasonable action,” Wilbrandt said before finding Helms not guilty of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Helms will remain in custody at the McHenry County Jail until his tentative June 3 sentencing date.