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Joliet man gets three years for abusing Villa Park teen

A Joliet man was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison and required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life for having inappropriate sexual contact with a 13-year-old Villa Park girl.

Joshua Scheun, 36, of the 4300 block of Timber Ridge Court, reportedly met the girl on a social networking site on March 18, 2013, and then went to Villa Park to meet her in person on March 22.

He sexually abused her on several occasions while in his vehicle, authorities said.

The victim eventually confided in a school counselor, who in turn contacted Villa Park police and the girl’s parents. The DuPage County Children’s Center also was brought into the investigation.

Scheun originally was charged with six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, two counts of traveling to meet a minor and one count of solicitation to meet a child. On Thursday, as part of a deal with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

DuPage County state’s attorney spokesman Paul Darrah said Scheun’s sentence should be a reminder to parents.

“These circumstances should serve as a reminder to all of us that while the Internet is a useful tool in our daily lives, it can also be abused by sexual predators such as Joshua Scheun,” Darrah said. “Parents should be observing what their children are doing while on the Internet. Parents should also teach their children to come forward to a trusted adult if they feel subjected to behavior that makes them feel uncomfortable or uneasy in any way.”

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