CHICAGO - A north suburban man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for enticing underage girls to engage in sex acts with him.
CASEY IRELAND, 36, of Antioch, pleaded guilty to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. Each count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer set sentencing for June 24, 2019, at 11:30 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Leo Lamont, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Resident Agency Great Lakes. Valuable assistance was provided by the Antioch Police Department and law enforcement authorities in Wisconsin. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Dixon.
Ireland admitted in a plea agreement that in the spring of 2017 he had sex with two 15-year-old girls from Wisconsin. Ireland began communicating with the girls via online messaging applications.
On May 18, 2017, and June 1, 2017, Ireland drove to Wisconsin to pick up the first victim at her high school, and then drove her back to his home in Antioch to engage in sex acts, the plea agreement states. On May 31, 2017, Ireland arranged to pick up the second victim at a park near her home in Wisconsin, and then drove her to his home to engage in sex acts, the plea agreement states.
After the second victim informed law enforcement about her encounter with Ireland, authorities took control of her messaging account and reestablished communication with him. During subsequent messages, Ireland and law enforcement - posing as the victim - arranged for Ireland to pick up the victim at the same park near her home to engage in another sexual encounter. When Ireland drove to the park on June 7, 2017, he was arrested.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, or log on to http://www.missingkids.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
