A 44-year-old Alsip man accused of repeatedly sexually abusing two young girls was sentenced last week to more than two decades in state prison in the case involving one of the girls.
Scott Kieta was found guilty January in a Bridgeview courtroom of one count of predatory criminal sexual assault, according to court records. He was sentenced to 23 years on April 11.
Prosecutors alleged Keita had sex with the girl when she was 8 years old and for years after while baby sitting her. The alleged victim is now in her teens.
Kieta wasn’t charged until March 2014 after the victim came forward, according to court records.
“I hope no child has to go through what I had to go through,” the child wrote in a letter read in court by a prosecutor. She described being hospitalized because of depression and that she believed she would never fully recover from what happened to her.
Prosecutors said Kieta also is accused of having sexual contact with a second alleged victim, who was a 9-year-old friend of the other victim.
Kieta became visibly upset and muttered profanity to himself when Judge Colleen Hyland handed down the sentence last week.
“There is no question the defendant robbed the victim of innocence and stole much joy from her youth,” Hyland said during sentencing.
Evidence at trial showed Kieta had repeatedly sexually abused the victim over years, Hyland said.
She said she did not see any remorse from Kieta.
Against advice of his counsel, Kieta pleaded with the judge before sentencing by saying he has “never hurt anybody. . .”
“There are people out there that are sick, and there are people who do hurt children,” Kieta told the judge.
He said the baby sitting was a favor for a friend, and that he didn’t deserve what has happening to him.
Kieta will serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence and will receive credit for the more than 1100 days he has spent in jail awaiting trial.
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He is scheduled to return to court on the second sexual abuse case on May 19.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.