A father has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting and beating his own daughter, who was under the age of 13, on multiple occasions in Lake Villa.
The Lake Villa Police Department was notified on March 22, 2023, by an area school after a child disclosed abuse to school officials.
The child, under the age of 13, reported they were the victim of past physical and sexual abuse at their home, according to Lake Villa Police Department Lt. James DeCaro.
Officers conducted interviews with the child and other family members.
The child reported their father, Ariel D. Carrasco, 48, of Lake Villa, was the suspect and the abuse occurred on multiple occasions since December 2022, DeCaro said.
The Department of Children and Family Services was notified in an effort to develop a safety plan for the family, DeCaro said.
Further interviews were completed at the Lake County Advocacy Center in collaboration with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
DeCaro said that Carrasco was also interviewed by investigators and he made “very concerning statements” when questioned about the allegations.
He was later arrested without incident after it was determined there was probable cause for the charges to be filed.
Carrasco was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony; two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony; and two counts of domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor.
Carrasco was transported to the Lake County Jail and appeared in bond court.
Prosecutors detailed the sexual abuse of the child and how Carrasco also physically attacked the victim.
Then-Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Carrasco held on a $2 million bond. He has remained held in the Lake County Jail since his arrest.
Court records show Carrasco entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office last week.
He pleaded guilty to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony, and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for a 10-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Carrasco, who has not yet been transferred to a state prison, will receive credit for 754 days of time spent in jail awaiting trial. A projected release date was not immediately available.