Report: Crystal Lake sex offender receives probation for playing Santa in Huntley

A registered sex offender from Crystal Lake was sentenced by a McHenry County judge to probation Wednesday for dressing up as Santa Claus a year ago and posing for photos with children at a Huntley animal shelter, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

Taylor Blaul, 33, pleaded guilty in October to a charge of violating his sex offender registry by playing Santa at the holiday event, the Tribune reported.

He was also sentenced to 60 days in McHenry County Jail Wednesday but is not expected to serve the time unless he violates the probation.

Blaul pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 2015 after authorities said he sexually abused a boy on four occasions over the course of several months. He was sentenced then to four months in jail, three years of probation and was required to register as a sex offender for life.

Blaul was reported to police in December 2016 for playing Santa at the Animal House Shelter in Huntley.

When another man who typically plays Santa there could not make it to a holiday party, Blaul was asked to fill in, the Tribune said. The shelter's manager knew of Blaul's past, but other employees did not.

He was discovered playing Santa by a patron of the shelter.