Fox River Grove teen admits threatening girl

A Fox River Grove teen pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Friday alleging he threatened to expose a girl to public ridicule if she did not send him suggestive photos of herself.

Christopher R. Colles, 17, was sentenced to two years' probation, 75 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine as part of a plea bargain in which he admitted guilt to a misdemeanor charge of attempted intimidation.

He also must undergo a counseling evaluation and follow any of its recommendations.

In return for the guilty plea, McHenry County prosecutors dismissed four felony intimidation charges brought against Colles in June. If convicted of those charges, Colles could have faced between two and five years in prison.

The count to which he pleaded guilty involved an ex-girlfriend he claimed to have nude photos of. He threatened to make them public unless he sent her more, said Nichole Owens, chief of the criminal division of the McHenry County State's Attorney's office.

The charges that were dropped as part of the plea deal alleged he threatened to make public nude pictures of two female friends of the ex-girlfriend that he said he shot from outside their bedroom windows -- unless they sent him more nude photos, Owens said.

In the remaining count, he threatened to ruin a teacher's career unless she sent him nude photos, Owens said.

Assistant State's Attorney Sharyl Eisenstein said Colles' victim approved of the plea agreement.

"This is going to be his chance," Eisenstein said. "The counseling was the major issue they wanted addressed."

Colles' attorney, Steven H. Fine, declined comment on the case Friday.

Colles also faces a felony charge in Lake County stemming from claims he told a 17-year-old girl he would send information about her drinking alcohol to her parents if she did not give him nude photographs of herself.

That case remains pending, Fine said.