A Woodstock man has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to grooming a juvenile while serving as a church youth group leader.
Patrick S. O’Farrell, 58, is also required to register as a sex offender for 10 years after he serves his sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections, officials with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Authorities said a report was made to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in April 2024 that a teen was being groomed and inappropriately touched by a youth group leader at an unidentified church in Woodstock.
A victim-sensitive interview was conducted at the Child Advocacy Center, officials said, where the victim further revealed specific details and identified O’Farrell as the abuser.
Additional interviews were conducted by Woodstock Police Detectives, including one with the defendant, where O’Farrell ultimately admitted to the behavior while being questioned, officials said.
Additional charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a victim under 18 years of age while serving in a position of trust and aggravated criminal sexual abuse while being 5 years older than the victim were dropped in exchange for the plea deal, court records show.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said in the release that she commends the teen for her courage to speak up and report the abuse and appreciates the thorough investigative efforts by those involved from the Woodstock Police Department and the trained staff at the Child Advocacy Center.