Elgin man admits to child sex assault, abuse
A 31-year-old Elgin man faces prison after admitting to sexually assaulting and abusing a girl under 13 during a four-year period.
Freddy D. Copeland, of the 1200 block of Fleetwood Drive, recently pleaded guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated criminal sexual assault, both felonies.
Copeland is accused of having sexual contact and molesting the victim from Dec. 1, 2011, through Dec. 31, 2015, according to Kane County court records.
He entered a "blind" or "cold" plea in which a defendant admits guilt without having a punishment agreed upon with prosecutors beforehand and leaves the decision up to a judge, in this case Linda Abrahamson.
Copeland faces six to 30 years in prison and lifetime registration as a sex offender when he's sentenced Jan. 31. Other, less severe charges were dismissed as part of the guilty plea, records show.
He has been held at the Kane County jail on $100,000 bail since early May 2016.
Copeland also has another criminal case pending for misdemeanor child endangerment, court records show. Copeland is accused of falling asleep Nov. 3, 2015, and allowing his toddler son to leave his apartment wearing only a T-shirt and diaper. The boy was found 500 feet east of South McLean, record show.
The child endangerment charge carries a top sentence of 364 days in jail.