A Wonder Lake man has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually abusing a child multiple times and later fleeing police on a boat into a wooded area “like Rambo.”
Austin M. Chiluk, 36, of Wonder Lake, was charged in September with five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, grooming and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Prosecutors said a teenage girl in September disclosed to her mother that she had been sexually assaulted.
They reported the abuse to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office for an investigation.
A victim-sensitive interview was conducted at the McHenry County Child Advocacy Center where the victim revealed specific details of the assault and identified Chiluk as her abuser, prosecutors said.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Chiluk committed multiple sex acts on the child, who was 14 years old, between April 27, 2024, and July 25, 2024.
The complaint said Chiluk solicited the girl using his cell phone and also solicited her in person to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.
Court documents said the victim contacted Chiluk because she heard he would provide drugs in exchange for sex.
Chiluk admitted to sexually abusing the child and knowing her age, court documents said.
Chiluk fled from law enforcement using a boat into Walworth County, Wisconsin.
He hid from officers and contacted others to coordinate an Uber ride for him to escape the area, court documents said.
McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Julio Cantre said that Chiluk fled by boat from the sheriff’s office when they tried to arrest him and then went into a nearby woods on foot, the Northwest Herald reported.
Cantre said Chiluk smeared mud on his face “like Rambo” to further evade police and hid in a tree.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said the child showed courage in speaking up and reporting the abuse.
“All citizens must be protected from criminals, but we must remain especially diligent in protecting the most vulnerable members of our county – the children,” Freese stated.
Court records show Chiluk entered into a negotiated plea agreement with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office this week.
He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for a four-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The agreement was accepted by McHenry County Judge Justin Hansen.
Chiluk, who has been held in the McHenry County Jail since his arrest, will receive 396 days of credit for time served and time participating in improvement programs.
He will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life upon release from prison.