Man deemed sexually violent person by Will County judge, placed in state’s custody

A Will County judge has deemed a convicted sex offender to be a sexually violent person, a decision that Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said will prevent him from harming anyone else.

On Tuesday, Will County Judge Ken Zelazo determined that Timothy Piper, 52, is a sexually violent person and remanded him to the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services. Raoul’s office had petitioned Piper to receive the designation in 2018, court records show.

Piper is listed in the Illinois sex offender registry, which is provided by the Illinois State Police.

In a statement, Raoul said Piper’s “criminal history proves he is a danger to this community, but the judge’s decision prevents him from harming anyone else.”

“I am committed to protecting Illinois families and communities from those who prey on innocent children,” Raoul said.

In 2003, Piper was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sentenced to 30 years in prison, court records show.

Under the Illinois Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act, Raoul’s office files cases seeking to commit offenders to the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services. A person must have a mental disorder and have been convicted of a sexually violent offense to be committed under the act.

Raoul’s office also must prove that the person is likely to commit future acts of sexual violence if released from custody.

Once a person deemed sexually violent is committed to the Illinois Department of Human Services, they are evaluated on a regular basis to determine whether they continue to meet the criteria for commitment as a sexually violent person, according to Raoul’s office.