Mount Morris man sentenced to eight years in prison for 2022 sexual abuse of a minor

OREGON – A Mount Morris man was sentenced Monday to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for sexually abusing a minor in 2022.

Steven K. Irvin, 58, pleaded guilty to the felony offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse when he appeared with his attorney, Ogle County Public Defender Kathleen Isley, in front of Judge John Redington.

Isley told Redington that Irvin had agreed to plead guilty to the offense as part of a plea agreement reached with the Ogle County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“How do you plead?” Redington asked Irvin.

“Guilty, your honor,” Irvin replied.

Irvin was arrested for aggravated criminal sexual abuse in May 2022 after an investigation by the Mount Morris Police Department. He has been held in the Ogle County Correctional Center since his arrest.

Court documents indicate that he “knowingly committed an act of sexual conduct” with a girl who was younger than 18.

“During the investigation, the defendant was developed as a suspect. The case was reviewed by the Ogle County State’s Attorney’s Office, and charges were authorized,” Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock said in a news release.

At the sentencing hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten told Redington that the victim in the case had submitted a victim impact statement and asked it to be entered in as part of the court record.

Redington read over the statement and proceeded with Irvin’s sentencing hearing without sharing the contents of the victim’s statement.

Redington told Irvin that he will be credited for 615 days served in jail and is required to serve 50% of the eight-year sentence. He will be subject to four years of mandatory supervision after his release, Redington said.

Isley told the court that she had informed Irvin that his guilty plea could trigger an evaluation to determine whether he is sexually violent.

“He will be evaluated after the prison sentence,” Isley said.

“Aggravated criminal sexual abuse is a Class 2 felony with a sentencing range of three to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The defendant’s criminal record qualified him for an extended term sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections,” Rock said.

Court records indicate that Irvin has previous convictions in Ogle County for misdemeanor battery and criminal trespass, driving while under the influence of alcohol and driving with a suspended driver’s license. He also has burglary convictions in Carroll and Whiteside counties.