Teen gets 11 years for sex assaults

A Schaumburg teenager pleaded guilty Thursday to molesting a 7-year-old boy and having sexual interactions with four female mentally disabled Hoffman Estates High School students.

Christopher Girard, 18, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for each of the crimes -- one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, a felony, and four counts of criminal sexual assault. All five prison terms will be served at the same time.

At the recommendation of Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta Jr., Girard also will receive sex offender counseling while behind bars.

Prosecutors said Girard molested a 7-year-old boy he'd been babysitting at his home in the spring of 2004. He was 15 years old at the time.

In the fall of 2005, prosecutors said, Girard, 16, had separate sexual encounters with two 14-year-old girls and two 15-year-old girls -- all of whom were mentally disabled, prosecutors said, and unable to consent to the acts.

Girard's attorney, Michael Norris, said Girard himself has special needs issues and had been in a special education class with the teenage girls he later was charged with sexually assaulting.

Norris has said before he doesn't believe his client was able to understand his rights at the time of his arrest.

At least some of the fall 2005 sexual interactions took place under the Hoffman Estates High School stadium bleachers, authorities said.