Former Itasca man sentenced to 100 years for molesting friend's son

A former Itasca man was sentenced Tuesday to 100 years in prison for molesting his friend's son more than a decade ago.

Gregory J. Tomberg, 47, was able to go unpunished for years until the boy grew into a young man.

The 21-year-old Bartlett man said it took years for him to understand, but he finally came forward to ensure Tomberg goes to prison.

"All I do know is every day this man is in jail, other kids that don't know he is a monster won't get taken advantage of," he said during a recent court hearing. "If I can help at least one kid, that will make myself feel so much better inside."

A DuPage County jury deliberated just 1½ hours on May 30, 2007, before convicting Tomberg of 12 counts of predatory and aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child. DuPage Circuit Judge Robert Anderson meted out the punishment Tuesday.

The Bartlett man said Tomberg molested him for three years, beginning in 1994, when he was 8. He said Tomberg inappropriately touched him a half-dozen times inside the defendant's home and on out-of-state vacations when the child pretended to sleep.

"This man made himself feel like my best friend," he said. "I wanted to do everything with this guy. And what does he do? He takes advantage of a boy while he sleeps, too scared to even open my eyes or even move."

He said the abuse ended in 1997 after his parents and Tomberg had an unrelated argument that ruined their friendship. He finally told a girlfriend, who convinced him to confide in his parents in 2004. Police were contacted.

Tomberg was arrested back in 2004, but he had remained free on a $250,000 bond for three years until last spring's conviction.

During the trial, prosecutors David Imielski and Alex McGimpsey said Tomberg confessed in a taped police interview, which they played for the jury.

Still, Tomberg maintained his innocence. His defense team questioned the reliability of the confession and the Bartlett man's claims, which they argued evolved with time. Tomberg did not testify during the trial.

Another young man also came forward with similar allegations against Tomberg, a former neighbor, but he was never charged with that crime.

Tomberg worked part-time for the Itasca Police Department from 1977 until 1980, when the department hired him full-time. He resigned two years later. He was not a sworn officer. His duties consisted of directing traffic and parking enforcement.

Tomberg must serve half the prison term before being eligible for parole but, given his age, likely will spend the rest of his life behind bars.