Indecent Liberties with a Child Lawyer Chicago, Illinois

Indecent Liberties with a Child Lawyer in Chicago, Illinois Serving All of Cook County

Being charged with indecent liberties with a child in Chicago or anywhere in Cook County can put your entire future at risk. These allegations often involve intense investigations, serious felony charges, and severe penalties that can follow you for the rest of your life. An accusation alone can affect your career, relationships, and reputation within the community.

At Combs Waterkotte, we understand that cases involving alleged offenses against children are often highly emotional and complicated. False accusations, misunderstandings, and exaggerated claims can and do occur. That’s why our Chicago criminal defense lawyers approach every case with discretion, attention to detail, and a commitment to protecting our clients’ rights from the very beginning.

When you hire our firm, we’ll conduct a thorough review of the evidence, examine witness statements, analyze police procedures, and identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Our team of experienced attorneys, paralegals, and law clerks works together to build a defense strategy designed to pursue the best possible outcome, whether that means reduced charges, dismissal, or fighting for an acquittal at trial.

If you’re ready to fight back against your indecent liberties with a child charges in Chicago, Illinois or anywhere in Cook County, contact Combs Waterkotte online or call (314) 900-HELP today. The sooner you secure experienced legal representation, the better positioned you’ll be to protect your freedom and your future.

What Are Indecent Liberties with a Child in Chicago, Illinois?

There used to be a law on the books in Illinois, 720 ILCS 5/11-4, specifically called “indecent liberties with a child.” However, legislators significantly overhauled Illinois’s sex offense laws in the early and mid-1980s, and under Public Act 83-1067, the offense that used to be called “indecent liberties with a child” is now called “indecent solicitation of a child.”

Despite the reorganization and renaming, the substance of the indecent solicitation fo a child law remains largely unchanged. According to 720 ILCS 5/11-6, someone in Chicago or Cook County may be charged with this offense when a person over the age of 17:

• Knowingly solicits a child (or someone they think is a child) to perform an act of sexual penetration or sexual conduct, and does so with the intent to commit:
  • Aggravated criminal sexual assault, or
  • Predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, or
  • Aggravated criminal sexual abuse

Under section (a-5) of 720 ILCS 5/11-6, a Chicago or Cook County resident may also be charged with indecent solicitation of a child if they are over the age of 17 and:

• Knowingly discuss an act of sexual conduct or sexual penetration with a child (or someone they think is a child) over the internet with the intent to commit:
  • Aggravated criminal sexual assault, or
  • Predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, or
  • Aggravated criminal sexual abuse

The statute covers solicitation offenses committed both in person and over the internet or through texting inappropriately with a minor. The indecent liberties law also lays out a few important definitions related to the offense in 720 ILCS 5/11-6(b):

• Solicit — To command, authorize, urge, incite, or request another to perform an act in person, over the phone, in writing, or through a computer
• Child — A person under the age of 17
• Sexual penetration (definition referenced from 720 ILCS 5/11-0.1)
  • Contact between the sex organs or anus of one person and the sex organ, mouth, or anus of another, or
  • Intrusion of any body part of one person into the sex organ or anus of another
• Sexual conduct (definition referenced from 720 ILCS 5/11-0.1)
  • Touching or fondling of the victim or the accused of their sex organs, anus, or breasts, or
  • The transmission of semen by the accused onto the victim for sexual gratification

What Are the Penalties for Indecent Liberties with a Minor in Chicago, Illinois?

Indecent liberties with a minor is always charged as a felony offense in Chicago. The specific penalties for indecent solicitation of a child are covered in 720 ILCS 5/11-6(c). The felony charge an individual faces depends on the act they intended to commit with the child:

• Indecent solicitation is a Class 1 felony if the defendant intended to commit predatory criminal sexual assault of a child or aggravated criminal sexual assault
• Indecent solicitation is a Class 2 felony if the defendant intended to commit criminal sexual assault
• Indecent solicitation is a Class 3 felony if the defendant intended to commit aggravated criminal sexual abuse

For offenses committed when contacting the minor via text message or over the internet, the statute calls for Class 4 felony sentencing guidelines, no matter the intended offense. In other words, you face the same charge for electronic communications with a minor whether you intended to commit:

• Aggravated criminal sexual assault, or
• Predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, or
• Aggravated criminal sexual abuse

Do You Have to Register as a Sex Offender in Chicago for an Indecent Liberties with a Child Conviction?

Yes, indecent solicitation of a minor charges require Chicago and Cook County residents to register on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry if they are convicted. It is one of the offenses that defines a convicted individual as a sex offender under 730 ILCS 150/2(B)(1) of the Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act.

It’s important to note that registration is required simply for intent in Chicago child solicitation cases. An individual convicted of indecent liberties with a child still has to register as a sex offender even if:

• No sexual contact actually occurred
• No meeting between the offender and the minor took place
• The “child” was actually an undercover police officer

730 ILCS 150/7 outlines the duration of registration for individuals required to register as sex offenders in Chicago and Cook County. In indecent solicitation of a child cases, offenders must remain registered for at least 10 years. Registration periods may be longer for:

• Subsequent sex offense convictions
• Probation violations
• Sex offender registration violations

730 ILCS 150/3 covers the requirements to which individuals must adhere when registering as a sex offender in Chicago. There are several duties that apply, but the most important among them include:

• Registering with local law enforcement
• Reporting one’s address, employment, or school enrollment
• Periodically verifying or updating information in person
• Providing travel itineraries and relocation plans to authorities

Criminal Defense Strategies for Chicago Indecent Liberties with a Minor Charges

While an indecent liberties with a child charge in Chicago is a serious matter, a good criminal defense attorney can help. At Combs Waterkotte, we’ve found the following criminal defense strategies to be very effective in fighting indecent solicitation of a minor charges in the greater Chicago area.

Challenging the Alleged Intent Behind the Communication

Many Chicago child solicitation offenses require prosecutors to prove the defendant intended to commit a criminal sexual act. A defense attorney can argue that messages, conversations, or online communications were taken out of context or never reflected any genuine criminal intent. In some cases, statements may have been jokes, fantasy roleplay, sarcasm, or otherwise misunderstood. If prosecutors cannot prove the required intent beyond a reasonable doubt, the charges may be reduced or dismissed entirely.

Entrapment in Internet Sting Operations

Entrapment may become a defense when law enforcement officers induce someone to commit a sex crime they otherwise would not have committed. Many Chicago-area indecent solicitation and child sex investigations involve undercover online stings. Defense attorneys may examine whether investigators pressured, persuaded, or repeatedly encouraged the defendant to partake in the alleged conduct. If police tactics crossed legal boundaries and created the criminal activity instead of merely observing it, the defense may seek a dismissal based on entrapment.

Arguing a Lack of Knowledge About the Alleged Minor’s Age

Some indecent liberties cases in Chicago involve disputes about whether the defendant genuinely believed the other person was actually underage. Online interactions, social media profiles, dating apps, and deceptive communications can create confusion about a person’s true age. While Illinois law can still criminalize conduct involving someone believed to be a child, the surrounding facts may still matter when evaluating intent, credibility, and sentencing exposure. Defense attorneys should carefully analyze all communications and representations made during the investigation.

Challenging the Reliability of Digital Evidence

Modern indecent solicitation cases in Chicago often depend heavily on electronic evidence like text messages, chat logs, screenshots, emails, and social media records. Defense lawyers may investigate whether any digital evidence was altered, taken out of context, incompletely preserved, or improperly attributed to the defendant. Shared devices, hacked accounts, spoofed phone numbers, and incomplete message threads can create serious evidentiary issues. Establishing reasonable doubt about who actually sent certain communications may become a critical defense strategy.

Fourth Amendment Violations and Illegal Searches

Chicago police officers must follow constitutional rules when searching phones, computers, homes, and online accounts during indecent liberties with a child investigations. If law enforcement conducted an unlawful search or seized evidence without a valid warrant or legal justification, the defense may challenge the admissibility of that evidence. Messages, images, internet history, and digital files obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment may potentially be excluded from trial, weakening the prosecution’s case significantly.

Challenging Statements Made During Police Interrogations

Many Chicago and Cook County defendants make damaging statements during stressful police interviews before they fully understand their legal rights. Defense attorneys can try to challenge confessions or admissions obtained through coercive questioning, deceptive tactics, or Miranda rights violations. If investigators failed to advise the defendant of the right to remain silent or the right to an attorney, the court may suppress those statements. Excluding incriminating statements can substantially impact the prosecution’s ability to secure a conviction.

Negotiating to Avoid Sex Offender Registration Consequences

Because a conviction for indecent solicitation of a child can trigger mandatory sex offender registration requirements in Chicago and Cook County, defense attorneys often focus on minimizing long-term collateral consequences. Depending on the facts of the case, the defense may pursue reduced charges, alternative resolutions, or plea negotiations designed to avoid a registrable offense. Limiting exposure to prison time, public registration requirements, housing restrictions, and long-term reputational harm can become a central objective in indecent liberties with a child cases.