Elgin teen gets 16 years for sex assault

An Elgin teen convicted earlier this year of stabbing a teacher pleaded guilty Thursday to unrelated sexual assault charges and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Angel Facio, 16, must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence - imposed in consecutive 8-year terms - meaning he will be about 30 years old before he is eligible for release, Assistant State's Attorney Christine Bayer said.

Facio pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in exchange for having 10 additional counts of abuse and assault dismissed.

Kane County Judge Allen Anderson, who approved the negotiated plea deal, said Facio should use his time in prison to reflect upon what he'd done and to sort through personal issues that might have attributed to his behavior.

"I certainly hope your future is better than your past has been," Anderson told Facio. "You've taken away someone else's childhood and your own has been interrupted at this point. It's a sad situation."

Facio was accused in August of raping and otherwise molesting an 8-year-old girl. The assault took place in the girl's bedroom, and a brother witnessed the victim run out of the room, followed by Facio, Bayer said. An assault test and medical examination on the victim were inconclusive.

If he had been convicted at trial of the two assault counts, both Class X felonies, Facio could have been sentenced to as little as 12 years and as many as 120 years in prison.

The 16-year term handed down Thursday does not include 235 days Facio served amid the latest court proceedings. The term will be served concurrent with an existing sentence Facio is serving for the Jan. 18 attempted first-degree murder of a teacher at Elgin High School.

Facio pleaded guilty to stabbing the consumer science teacher in the head, neck and eye.

In the stabbing case, Facio was sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in a juvenile facility but would serve up to 17 years if he is ever found guilty of violating the sentencing terms.

Facio, who told the judge he is being treated for depression, declined to make a statement in open court Thursday. A family member declined to speak with reporters.

Aside from the stabbing and sex assault cases, Facio faces charges in a pending Kane County Juvenile Court case in which he is accused of the attempted abduction of a 13-year-old Larsen Middle School student in January.