Elburn man pleads to lesser charge in underage sex case

An Elburn man received two years probation and a suspended 100-day jail sentence after pleading guilty Monday to a reduced sex abuse charge stemming from a 2007 case involving a Cary 14-year-old.

Sean A. Lewis, 20, admitted guilt to criminal sexual abuse under a plea deal in which he must also register as a sex offender for 10 years, pay a $1,000 fine and perform 100 hours community service.

The charge, a Class A misdemeanor, alleged Lewis had sexual contact with a minor girl who was not more than five years younger than him at the time.

Lewis initially faced felony charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse from the Jan. 24, 2007, incident at his former Cary home.

The 14-year-old girl told authorities Lewis threatened her with a knife and raped her, then warned her he would harm her is she told anyone what had happened. Lewis, authorities said, admitted having sex with the girl, but said it was consensual.

McHenry County prosecutors said the case was pleaded down to a misdemeanor because the girl has left the state and is unwilling to return to testify.

"Her mother said she ran away to Arizona because she did not want to cooperate," said Nichole Owens, criminal division chief of the McHenry County State's Attorney. "Without her testimony, it would be impossible to prove the felony offenses. The only evidence we have of a threat was the testimony of the victim."

Lewis's attorney declined to comment on the case Monday.