Molester receives 118-year sentence

Although he insisted he was innocent, John Neal told the judge Friday he knew "I am about to be sentenced to a long term."

He was right.

Lake County Circuit Judge Victoria Rossetti sentenced Neal to 118 years of the possible 120-year maximum sentence he could have faced for repeatedly raping a young girl over a six-year period.

As for Neal's claim he was railroaded, Rossetti said the case had gone before a jury last month that convicted him on 32 separate charges.

"You had your day in court," she said. "Twelve members of this community that you selected heard the evidence and found you guilty."

Round Lake Beach police said Neal, 37, began molesting the girl when she was 10 years old and continued on an almost daily basis until she told her mother about the attacks in March 2006.

The girl told Rossetti the abuse caused her to live in constant fear of Neal and drained the enjoyment from her life.

"I felt like I was absolutely nothing," she said in her victim impact statement. "Most teenagers worry about their hair and their clothes, but I never did because the things he did to me made me feel worthless."

In a rambling statement of his own, Neal insisted he had done nothing to the child and that he was framed by the victim and her family and overzealous law enforcement.

"I am not a bad person; I never did anything bad in my life," Neal said. "I have more evidence showing that I did not do this than they have evidence showing that I did."

Assistant State's Attorney Ken LaRue said Neal's convictions, which included five for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, 25 for criminal sexual assault and two for aggravated criminal sexual abuse, carried an aggregate penalty of 205 years.

However, the law limited Rossetti to a maximum of 120 years, every bit of which LaRue said was deserved.

"The state believes 120 years is the appropriate penalty," LaRue said. "We ask that the defendant be sentenced on each and every count, and that the sentences be served consecutively."

However, Assistant Public Defender John Bailey argued 120 years for a sex crime was more time than most people are sentenced to for murder, and he pointed out Neal must serve 85 percent of the term before parole.

"At 85 percent, 120 years would mean the defendant would have to serve 102 years," Bailey said. "That is more than a person gets for aggravated murder, 100 years at 100 percent, and it is not fair."

Rossetti said she was acting on behalf of the victim.

"She said you terrorized her and that she never felt safe from you," Rossetti told Neal. "With 118 years, I hope (the victim) will feel safe."

After the court hearing, a family member of the victim expressed satisfaction.

"He got what he deserved, and we are very happy," she said.