Somonauk man accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting child when he was 17

SYCAMORE – An 18-year-old from DeKalb County has been hit with nearly 30 felony charges all related to allegations of criminal sexual abuse and kidnapping of a child.

Franklin E. Tooley of Somonauk is facing as an adult 29 criminal felony charges stemming from alleged sexual assaults that occurred between Jan. 31 and Feb. 21, when he was still 17, according to court records. Local and state prosecutors are trying the case together.

Among Tooley’s charges are 16 class X felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child under 13, two class X counts of aggravated kidnapping, five class 2 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and two class 3 counts of aggravated battery, according to an indictment filed April 17 in DeKalb County court.

If convicted, Tooley could face between 48 to 113 years in prison, according to the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s office. The case is being co-prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

Tooley has been in police custody since his March 24 arrest, court records show. Charges were filed against Tooley that day, records show.

DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick on Dec. 12 – Tooley’s 18th birthday – ordered Tooley transferred from the River Valley Justice Center, a juvenile facility in Joliet, to the county jail in Sycamore, court records show.

Buick ruled Tooley’s bond to stand at the amount set with his warrant. As of Monday, he was being held at the DeKalb County Jail on a $500,000 bond set before the Illinois SAFE-T Act went into effect which prohibits cash bail. Tooley would need to post $50,000 to be released from jail.

Tooley was ordered to appear before Buick for a status hearing at 9:45 a.m. Jan. 3.

Somonauk police began an investigation Feb. 21 after witnesses alleged they heard the child crying and found the child and Tooley inside a locked bedroom.

Tooley then hid in a nearby bathroom, according to court records. Witnesses told police they found two unplugged cameras inside the room that had been set up to monitor the child. When witnesses confronted Tooley about the cameras, he allegedly told them he “blacked out,” according to court records.

In an interview with Somonauk police, Tooley allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting the child and unplugging the cameras “because he didn’t want anyone else to know,” according to court records. He allegedly admitted to police that he had assaulted the child at least five times.