Not Guilty: Joliet Man Faced 3 Predatory Sexual Assault Charges

Joliet IL

16 September, 2021

7:30 PM

Description

JOLIET, IL — Kevin Alley, a 52-year-old resident who was charged by Joliet police with three counts of predatory sexual assault in December 2015, was found not guilty Thursday at the conclusion of his bench trial, according to Joliet defense lawyer Cosmo Tedone. Will County Circuit Judge Dave Carlson announced the verdict Thursday in Courtroom 405. Tedone and his client opted for a bench trial rather than a jury trial. Tedone said Alley was charged with sexually abusing one of his children. Alley was 46 years old at the time of his arrest. At the time of the criminal charges, Alley and his wife were already divorced and Alley had visitation rights to spend time with their four children. Tedone said that Joliet police detective Shawn Filipiak and Joliet police evidence technician Ryan Myers were two of the key witnesses for the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow at his client's trial. Assistant Will County State's Attorneys Mary Fillipitch and Kelly Tebo presented the prosecution's case at trial. Tedone said the two women are phenomenal prosecutors, but that the evidence against his client was insufficient for a guilty verdict from the judge. Will County Judge Dave Carlson found Kevin Alley not guilty on three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault against one of Alley's children. File/John Ferak/Patch Tedone said that Alley's child was 5 years old at the time the allegations were made. "The State's Attorneys did the best they could, but there was no sufficient, reliable evidence that could sustain these charges," Tedone told Joliet Patch on Thursday afternoon. Tedone said it was his understanding the criminal investigation was opened against Alley back in 2015 after one of Alley's children spoke with a counselor, who notified Joliet police. "There was no need for him to testify based on the evidence induced at trial," Tedone said of his client. Joliet Patch asked Tedone for his client's reaction to Judge Carlson's decision. Alley faced a maximum prison sentence of 180 years, if he was convicted of all three charges. Each charge carried a prison sentence ranging from six years to 60 years, and Alley would have been obligated to serve the sentence at 85 percent. "Obviously, he was ecstatic because this was the right decision," Tedone said, "but unfortunately, he will never be able to have a relationship with these kids, and that's a very sad thing." Tedone said he has represented Alley the entire six years that his case has been pending at the Will County Courthouse. Tedone said he always believed his client was not guilty of the three alleged predatory criminal sexual assault charges. "I believed that because of the evidence that was given to me, the right verdict was always not guilty," Tedone said. "This was a very difficult decision for Judge Carlson and I believe he made the right decision based on the evidence. He had the hardest job of anyone in this case. These type of cases are always difficult for a defense attorney because it appears that we always have to prove our innocence instead of the State having to meet their burden just because of the nature of the charges against the defendant." Defense attorney Cosmo Tedone represented Kevin Alley who was found not guilty of three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault. File/John Ferak/Patch