Sex Abuse: Sentence Overturned, Another Sentenced

By Tim State in News on Mar 29, 2008 6:42PM

In the sex abuse headlines this weekend are two stories: one overturning a sentence and the other a sentencing of four years in prison.

The 2nd District Illinois Appellate Court overturned the 20-year jail sentence for the Aurora gymnastics coach Michael Cardamone. He had been convicted of sexually abusing seven girls between the age of seven and twelve. Prosecutors had accused him of inappropriately touching the girls during stretching exercises. A new trial has been ordered, citing several errors in the 2005 trial, “improper introduction of crimes with which Cardamone was not charged, exclusion of defense expert testimony, and faulty jury instructions by Judge Michael Burke.” [Trib, WBBM]

In the other story, a former Downers Grove youth minister was sentence to four years for sexually abusing a 13 to 17 year-old-girl while he was in a position of trust. He faced up to 15 years. Still pending, charges against a former youth basketball coach for alleged sexual assault of a female minor. A third man, a former church deacon, pleaded guilty in 2006 to charges of sexual abuse of an underaged female. [Trib]