Former St. Charles man convicted of sexually assaulting underage relative

A former St. Charles resident was convicted Tuesday of sexually assaulting one of his relatives when she was underage.

Ramiro Fonseca, 43, of Pharr, Texas, was living in St. Charles between 2009 and February 2011 when the abuse occurred. Fonseca engaged in multiple sex acts with the victim between July 2009 and February 2011 at his residence on the 400 block of North Union Street, according to evidence presented by prosecutors.

The victim, who was under the age of 18 at the time of the abuse, reported the assaults to a counselor after Fonseca moved out of Illinois, according to a Kane County state's attorney's office news release.

"This victim should be praised for the courage she showed in coming forward," Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said in the news release. "Her willingness to disclose the abuse and to testify in court about the abuse helped us hold Mr. Fonseca accountable for his deliberate conduct."

Fonseca was convicted of criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse. He faces 11 to 27 years in prison and must register for life as a sex offender. He is being held in the Kane County jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 19