Gages Lake child molester gets 12 years

A 38-year-old man from unincorporated Gages Lake is headed to prison for repeatedly molesting a girl in the early 2000s.

Michael Moore, formerly of the 18000 block of Gages Lake Road in Warren Township, received a 12-year penitentiary sentence at a recent hearing, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Kuehl said.

Koehl, who prosecuted the case, said Moore didn’t have any prior criminal convictions. Moore faced a mandatory six to 30 years behind bars for his conviction on predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

Moore repeatedly molested the girl in 2002 and 2003, Koehl said. He added that Moore was a family friend and was baby-sitting the girl by himself when the attacks occurred.

Lake County sheriff’s police were called after the girl told a family member about the molestation, prosecutors said. The girl was 10 to 11 years old at the time of the attacks.

Moore was charged in the case in March 2009.