An Island Lake man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for befriending two children on social media, soliciting explicit photos from them and then sexually assaulting them.
Ernesto Reynosa-Vasayez, 35, of Island Lake, was charged in June 2022 with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, three counts of criminal sexual assault, traveling to meet a minor, exploitation and grooming.
A grand jury later indicted him on a total of four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, 16 counts of child pornography, criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, traveling to meet a minor and grooming.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Reynosa-Vasayez used an online platform to entice children to distribute sexually explicit photographs of themselves.
The female juveniles, ages 12 and 14 at the time, sent the man the photos via Snapchat, prosecutors said.
Court records show Reynosa-Vasayez obtained the graphic photos and videos from the children between February 2022 and June 2022.
Prosecutors said Reynosa-Vasayez befriended the two children and solicited the child pornography before he assaulted them.
Reynosa-Vasayez traveled to sexually assault the victims on at least three dates in May 2022, court records show.
Officers with the Island Lake Police Department arrested Reynosa-Vasayez in late June 2022.
Reynosa-Vasayez has remained held in the McHenry County Jail since his arrest.
He entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office on Friday.
Reynosa-Vasayez pleaded guilty to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony, and one count of criminal sexual assault by force, a Class 1 felony, in exchange for his other charges being dismissed.
McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis approved the plea deal and sentenced Reynosa-Vasayez to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on the first charge and 10 years on the second charge for a combined 25 years.
The sentence will be served at 85% in accordance with truth-in-sentencing guidelines.