Worker at juvenile mental health facility gets 10 year sentence

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – A worker at a juvenile mental health facility will go to prison for 10 years for sexually assaulting a child who was a resident at the facility, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.

Darius Jones, 39, of Chicago, agreed to a 10-year sentence in prison in exchange for a guilty plea to the offense of criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class 1 felony.

Kane County Circuit Court Judge Clint Hull accepted the plea Feb. 22, the release stated.

Jones was employed at Northern Illinois Academy in Aurora, a mental health residential treatment facility for juveniles, and the victim’s case was assigned to Jones.

Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Lori Anderson stated in court that between September 2017 and January 2018, Jones sexually assaulted the victim, who was younger than 18.

Jones was in a position of trust, authority and supervision over the victim.

In addition to the prison term, Jones must register for life as a sexual offender in accordance with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act.

According to Illinois law, Jones must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He will receive credit for 84 days served in the Kane County jail.