Elgin man accused of child endangerment now charged with raping girl

An Elgin man facing a child endangerment charged with letting his toddler son wander away in November wearing only a T-shirt and diaper now is accused of sexually assaulting a girl he knew over a four-year span, according to authorities and court records.

Freddy D. Copeland, 29, of the 1200 block of Fleetwood Drive, was arrested May 7.

Copeland is charged with seven total felonies of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child younger than 13 and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, according to Kane County court records.

He assaulted the girl from December 2011 through Dec. 31, 2015, according to court records.

Copeland was charged with misdemeanor child endangerment after Elgin police found his son Nov. 3, 2015, wandering about 500 feet east of McLean Boulevard after Copeland had fallen asleep, according to court records.

Copeland was being held at the Kane County jail on $100,000 bail, meaning he must post $10,000 to be released while the case is proceeding. If he is released, he must not have any contact with the girl or children younger than 18.

If convicted in the sexual assault case, Copeland faces between six and 30 years in prison and must register for life as a sex offender. He is next due in court Wednesday.