Aurora man charged with sexting a 15-year-old girl

An Aurora man is being held in Kane County jail accused of sexting with a 15-year-old girl.

Hugo Cruz, 51, of the 800 block of Front Street, has been charged with grooming and indecent solicitation of a child, both of which are felonies; and misdemeanor counts of distributing harmful material to a minor and sexual exploitation of a child. Child grooming is defined as befriending and establishing an emotional connection with a child, and sometimes the family, to lower the child's inhibitions for child sexual abuse.

Prosecutors say Cruz sent the girl sexually explicit texts and at least one photo between Dec. 25, 2015, and Jan. 3.

The victim, with whom Cruz was acquainted, pleaded that he stop. Cruz knew the girl to be younger than 18, according to court documents, and the messages and photo were distributed for his sexual arousal in an attempt to get the girl to perform sexual acts.