During a three-year period from August 2016 to August 2019, a child younger than 13 years old was sexually assaulted numerous times by someone the child knew, 44-year-old Elgin resident Joel Rivera. Rivera will now spend the next 27 years in prison.
In August of 2021, Rivera pleaded guilty to the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, Class X felony, 3 counts, and today Judge Salvatore LoPiccolo handed down his sentence.
“The victim and her family are true survivors of this defendant’s habitual abuse. They have had their lives forever changed by his actions and his choice to sexually abuse a young child, stated Assistant State’s Attorney Tyler Cox. “I can only hope that the significant prison sentence imposed by Judge LoPiccolo will provide some peace to the victim and her family as they seek to move forward with their lives. I thank the multidisciplinary team at the Kane County Child Advocacy Center, as well as the stellar investigative work of the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and CAC investigator Tim Bosshart.”
In addition to the prison term, Rivera must register for life as a sex offender in accordance with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act.
In accordance with Illinois law, Rivera must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. Rivera receives credit for 947 days served in the Kane County jail.
