Great Lakes man sentenced to prison for sexual abuse

A 21-year-old man from Naval Station Great Lakes has pleaded guilty to molesting a teenage girl he met on a social networking site last year.

In exchange for Steve Burton’s guilty plea to criminal sexual abuse, a Cook County judge sentenced him to two years in prison. The judge also ordered Burton to pay $580 in fines.

Des Plaines police discovered Burton, of the 1800 block of California Avenue on the base, and the victim last January in a vehicle parked at Lions Woods, at Golf and River roads.

Burton admitted he met the girl online about six months earlier and knew she was underage, authorities said. Burton also told police he and the girl had engaged in sex acts at least five times since they met online.

Burton received credit for the 129 days he has spent in custody since his arrest. He must serve at least 50 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.