Former Naperville cheerleading coach gets 40 months in prison

A former Naperville cheerleading school owner was sentenced to more than three years in prison Thursday for sexually abusing one of his ex-students when she was 13.

Bradley Abrahams, 30, formerly of Aurora and now of Chicago, pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse in October, after prosecutors dropped other charges.

No sentencing guidelines were stipulated at the time of the guilty plea. He was facing up to seven years in prison, but received 40 months. He also must register as a child sex offender for the rest of his life.

In handing out the sentence, DuPage Circuit Judge Perry Thompson said what Abrahams did was a planned - not impulsive - act that denied the victim "her right to choose."

Abrahams was arrested in May 2008 after the parents of a teenage girl reported to police that their daughter had a sexual relationship with him. The girl told investigators the relationship started in March 2006 and that she had sex with Abrahams multiple times when she was 13.

On Thursday, the teen gave a tearful account of how she went from being passionate about cheerleading to having painful memories whenever she sets foot in a gym.

She said the experience with Abrahams ruined her reputation and robbed her of her golden years. Now she wants to start over in college and forget about what happened.

Before he was sentenced, Abrahams stood before the judge and apologized to the teenager and her family.

"I betrayed her trust," he said. "I betrayed the trust of her parents. I alone am responsible."

Abrahams' attorneys sought probation for their client, saying he has no prior criminal convictions and realizes what he did was wrong and inappropriate. They said he started the process of rehabilitation by pleading guilty in October.

However, prosecutors described Abrahams as a "deviate sex offender" and "a dangerous man" who should go to prison.

"The defendant was every father's worst nightmare," prosecutor Demetri Demopoulos said.

Demopoulos said Abrahams used his position of trust to groom a young girl to satisfy his own sexual desires.

Another former student came forward in July 2008 after news of Abrahams' arrest spread. Authorities said she told them she began a sexual relationship with Abrahams in 2003 when she was 16.