Rosemont man sentenced to 32 years in prison for abusing girl
A Rosemont man sat impassively as a Cook County judge sentenced him to a total of 32 years in prison for assaulting a girl over a period of seven or eight years.
Christopher Cooper showed no emotion upon hearing the sentence, which followed his March conviction on four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and four counts of criminal sexual assault. His family members, who have been a constant presence in the courtroom since Cooper's arrest in August 2008, appeared equally reserved, as did the victim, a now-20-year-old woman with an infant of her own.
The most impassioned expression came from Cook County Judge Joel Greenblatt as he addressed Cooper immediately after imposing a sentence that will keep him behind bars at least into his mid-50s.
“Everybody is a loser in this case, Mr. Cooper. This is a sad day for all involved,” said Greenblatt just before deputies escorted the defendant back to the holding cell.
“You groomed (the victim) from an early age. You robbed her of her childhood. You stole her innocence,” Greenblatt said, referring to charges that prosecutors characterized as “horrific, despicable and unconscionable.”
“This is something she will have to deal with for the rest of her life,” said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Sanju Oommen, who requested a lengthy sentence for Cooper to compensate for the victim's years of suffering.
The victim testified that Cooper began molesting her when she was about 6 years old and Cooper was about 14 or 15. The woman, who was under the care of Cooper's mother, Patricia Cooper, at the time, said the abuse resulted in her becoming pregnant at age 13.
Questioned in 2005 by Rosemont police investigating abuse allegations, the then-teenage girl denied being sexually assaulted. She also denied being sexually assaulted during another investigation in 2006. She testified she did so because Patricia Cooper ordered her to lie, telling her she'd be sent to a group home or a shelter if she didn't.
Patricia Cooper, 70, has been charged with harassing a witness. She has pleaded not guilty and her case is pending.
“Everything that was done to me was wrong. I didn't know how to trust or love anybody,” wrote the victim in a statement read by Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Piper.
The woman expressed hope that Cooper will get the help he needs to become a better person.
Defense attorney Ronald Menaker, who did not represent Cooper during the trial, requested the minimum sentence of 24 years, arguing that his client has a long history of cognitive deficiencies as well as emotional and psychological issues. Menaker traced those problems to Cooper's birth mother, who Menaker said abused drugs and alcohol, which resulted in Cooper's premature birth.
“He didn't have a fair shake, either, when it comes to life,” Menaker said.
In mitigation, Menaker pointed out that Cooper had no criminal record, graduated high school and held down a job and had the support of his adoptive family.
Greenblatt acknowledged as much, sentencing Cooper to eight years, two years more than the minimum, on each of the four predatory counts, which merged with the other four counts.
Cooper, who received credit for the two years and two months he has spend in custody since his arrest, must complete 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.