Waukegan man charged in teen sex case facing 84-year minimum term

A Waukegan man accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl was told Tuesday he could face a minimum of 84 years in prison if convicted of all the charges against him.

Mario Thomas, 33, pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and child pornography during a hearing before Lake County Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak.

Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew DeMartini said Thomas, of the 900 block of Martin Luther King Drive, is accused of having a sexual relationship with the girl between Nov. 14, 2011, and Jan. 21 of this year.

DeMartini said the victim’s mother discovered text messages on her daughter’s cellphone that indicated the relationship and called Lake County sheriff’s police on Jan. 27.

The girl was interviewed by detectives at the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center and told police she and Thomas had sex on almost a daily basis during the time period cited in the complaint, according to authorities.

DeMartini said Thomas was questioned on Feb. 1, and denied any involvement with the girl. However, he returned Feb. 7 and said he had sex with the girl once when he was very drunk, DeMartini said.

Potkonjak told Thomas during the arraignment that he is charged with 21 counts of criminal sexual assault and that each count carries a mandatory consecutive sentence because it alleges a separate sexual encounter.

The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of four years in prison, and Potkonjak told Thomas he would have to serve at least 84 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

Thomas is also charged with 21 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 63 years in prison if convicted of all those charges.

Police said they also found lewd photographs of the girl on Thomas’ cellphone and added the child pornography charge that carries a maximum of five years in prison.

Potkonjak scheduled a May 14 trial and ordered Thomas, who is held on $100,000 bail, to appear in court April 17.