James W. Seekings, 49, of Woodstock.

A Woodstock man has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for sexually assaulting a young child family member on at least nine occasions.

James W. Seekings, 49, of the 2300 block of Linden Drive in Woodstock, was charged with nine counts of predatory criminal sexual assault on a child and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a family member under 18.

The Woodstock Police Department began an investigation of a sexual assault on February 9, according to Woodstock Police Chief John Lieb.

A Woodstock Police Department detective met with members of a multi-disciplinary team including representatives from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the McHenry County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) and the McHenry County Stateโ€™s Attorneyโ€™s Office.

“The goal of the team was to provide services to the victim and to hold the alleged suspect accountable for his actions,” Lieb said.

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The investigation revealed that a male family member of the victim, identified as Seekings, had committed numerous acts of sexual assault on the child.

Seekings was taken into custody without incident in February.

According to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court, the victim was under the age of 13 and she was sexually assaulted at least eight times between 2014 and 2015.

The complaint said the girl was sexually assaulted at least once in 2019 as well.

On Friday, Seekings entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Seekings pleaded guilty to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony. He will be required to register as a sex offender.

McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge approved the deal and sentenced Seekings to 24 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

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The case was investigated by members of the Woodstock Police Department and prosecuted by Tyler Mikan of the McHenry County Stateโ€™s Attorneyโ€™s Office.