Wheeling man gets 8 years for assaulting a child

In exchange for pleading guilty to molesting a child, a Wheeling man was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison.

Oscar Diaz Figueroa, 23, pleaded guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a class X felony that carries a possible sentence of six to 30 years in prison, following a conference between his attorney, Cook County prosecutors and Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Fecarotta.

Figueroa, who had no criminal background at the time, admitted to police that he abused the child sometime between Aug. 31 and Sept. 10 of this year, prosecutors said.

Figueroa received credit for the 83 days he has spent in custody. He must complete 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.