Rafael Brill, 26, of Chicago.

A Chicago man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for traveling to Algonquin where he sexually abused a 15-year-old girl at a park and created child pornography.

Rafael Brill, 26, of the 7200 block of North Damen Avenue in Chicago, was charged with five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, traveling to meet a minor, indecent solicitation and grooming.

The Algonquin Police Department said they received an anonymous call around 10:45 a.m. on May 26, 2021, for a public indecency incident at Holder Park, 1040 Timberwood Lane in Algonquin.

Algonquin Deputy Police Chief Dennis Walker said at the time that officers arrived and located a 15-year-old girl who was walking away from the park.

Officers also observed a man inside a white Honda Civic and they stopped the two to investigate.

Officers learned that the man, identified as Brill, had arranged through an online app to meet with the girl at the park, Walker said.

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Brill was arrested at the scene and prosecutors approved the seven charges against him.

Almost three months later, prosecutors filed 17 charges of child pornography, ranging from Class X to Class 2 felonies, against Brill.

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

He pleaded guilty to two counts of child pornography, a Class X felony, and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony.

McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge approved the plea deal and sentenced Brill to 18 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, court records show.

Brill must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and also faces a lifetime period of parole.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally said that sexual abuse cases, especially those involving minors, are a priority in his office.

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“We charge more cases and take on more difficult cases than any other office in Illinois because we know the lacerating and life-long trauma sexual abuse can have on a child. These are very difficult cases. Mostly there is a delay in reporting leading to lost forensic evidence,” Kenneally said.

“Usually there are no eyewitnesses. Very often our case is based on the account of a child victim who sometimes due to terror of having to face their abusers or age may not be ready to testify in court in front of 12 strangers or endure cross-examination,” he said.

“In view of these difficulties, often we have the agonizing decision to accept negotiated pleas to ensure that a defendant receives some accountability as opposed to none. I am glad we were able to succeed in securing such a strong verdict in this case,” Kenneally added.

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