Florida man sentenced for sexually abusing Will County girl

JOLIET, Ill. —  A Florida man who traveled to Will County to have sex with a young girl he had befriended on the Internet was sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow.

Jon Filipkowski, 33, was sentenced on Wednesday by Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak. A jury in May found him guilty of four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of traveling to meet a minor.

Filipkowski, who was charged in July 2010, was posing as a young boy in an Internet chat room for teens when he struck up a friendship with the young girl. About a month into their online relationship, he revealed his true age and the chats became sexual in nature. In June 2010, he traveled to Will County to meet the girl, and had sex with the child in a local hotel room.

His involvement with the minor was confirmed after the victim's older sister overheard a telephone conversation Filipkowski had with her.

"Jon Filipkowski used the Internet to manipulate a vulnerable child and steal her innocence," Glasgow said. "He is exactly the type of dangerous predator my office warns parents and children about when we talk to them about protecting themselves online. The good news is he will have no opportunity to prey upon other children while he is in prison."

Assistant State's Attorneys Chris Regis and James Long prosecuted Filipkowski, securing the conviction and lengthy sentence. As part of his sentence, Filipkowski must register for life as a sex offender after his release from prison.