Ingleside man who had sex with teen pleads to lesser charge
An Ingleside man accused of have sex with a 16-year-old girl pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Monday in Lake County Circuit Court.
Michael McCosky, 32, was placed on probation for two years after pleading guilty to unlawful restraint.
Assistant State's Attorney James Newman said McCosky, of the 26000 block of Rollins Road, started a relationship with a 16-year-old girl from Silver Lake, Wis., after meeting her at a party in 2008.
The girl's mother found suggestive text messages from McCosky on her daughter's cell phone, Newman said, and confronted the girl about the relationship. The girl told her mother she and McCosky had consensual sex at his house sometime in early July 2008, Newman said.
The girl's mother contacted Wisconsin authorities who turned over the case to the Lake County sheriff's police.
McCosky was originally charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, but Newman agreed to reduce the charge in exchange for McCosky's guilty plea.
In addition to the probation, Circuit Judge John Phillips ordered McCosky to pay a $1,000 fine and perform 150 hours of public service.
Phillips also ordered McCosky to obtain a sex offender evaluation and follow all the treatment recommendations made as a result.