Man pleads guilty to molesting Antioch girl

A South Carolina man is facing a prison sentence of between six and 15 years after admitting Tuesday that he molested an Antioch Township girl.

Jimmy L. Lawrence, 24, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual assault during a hearing before Circuit Judge George Bridges.

Assistant State's Attorney Ken LaRue said Lawrence, of Marlboro County, S.C., was living with an Antioch Township woman and her 12-year-old daughter during 2006.

In June and July of that year, LaRue said, Lawrence molested the girl repeatedly on occasions when her mother was not at home.

The girl told her mother during August 2006, and Lake County sheriff's detectives began an investigation. However, Lawrence left the area before he could be arrested.

In October 2007, sheriff's officers learned that Lawrence might be in South Carolina and asked Marlboro County sheriff's police to be on the lookout for him.

An off-duty Marlboro County officer escorting his daughter trick-or-treating on Halloween spotted Lawrence entering a store after some other children.

That officer notified on-duty officers, and Lawrence was taken into custody without incident.

He was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault and attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault.

LaRue said he agreed to amend the charge against Lawrence in exchange for the guilty plea.

He said that Lawrence would normally face a sentence between four and 15 years in prison for criminal sexual assault.

However, because Lawrence has four prior burglary convictions in North Carolina, LaRue said he is actually eligible for a sentence of between six and 30 years.

That sentencing range is the same as the one for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, LaRue said, except for the upper end of 15 years he agreed to offer Lawrence.

Bridges scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 29.