Former Lake deputy coroner gets prison in child molesting case

A former Lake County deputy coroner was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday after he admitted molesting a 14-year-old girl.

Robert Barrett, 42, of Lindenhurst, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual assault during a hearing before Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes.

Assistant State’s Attorney Fred Day said Barrett, who joined the coroner’s office in 2001 and resigned shortly after his arrest, molested the girl between March 2009 and January of this year.

Police were called on the night of Jan. 16 when a witness found Barrett in an inappropriate situation with the girl in his Lindenhurst home.

Barrett was originally charged with criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, but Day said the sexual abuse charge was dropped in exchange for the guilty plea.

Barrett faced a mandatory prison sentence of four to 15 years if he had been convicted of criminal sexual assault after a trial.

Barrett, who was confined briefly in a hospital psychiatric ward following his arrest, has been held in the Lake County jail on $250,000 bond.