Watch CBS News

Teen Gets 6 Years For Molesting Kids At Mom's Daycare

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (STMW) -- A negotiated guilty plea, including a six-year prison sentence and subsequent periodic imprisonment, was accepted Thursday in the case against a north suburban man who admitted molesting two children at his mother's home daycare.

Lake County Circuit Judge Victoria Rossetti accepted the plea, which was negotiated between prosecutors and defense attorneys for Brett Degler of Winthrop Harbor, now 19, who was 17 when the crimes took place, the News-Sun is reporting.

A jury trial was scheduled to begin Aug. 19 and, if convicted, Degler could have faced up to 60 years in prison.

Degler pleaded guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony, and attempted predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony, for incidents involving victims ages 4 and 10.

The assaults took place at the Winthrop Harbor home daycare run by his mother, with whom he lived. One occurred on March 6, 2012. and the other between Nov. 1, 2011 and Jan. 31, 2012.

Degler's mother immediately relinquished her license for the facility when she learned of her son's arrest.

Since his arrest, Degler has served 526 days in Lake County Jail, which will be credited toward his sentence.

Under the agreement, he was sentenced to six years in prison and will be required to serve at least 85 percent of that term, followed by 48 months of periodic imprisonment in the Lake County Jail, with release for work and potential sex offender treatment.

He also must register as a sex offender for life, have no contact with children under 17, and have no contact with the victims.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.