FAYETTE COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - A Fayette County sex offender will stay in the custody of the Illinois government after a jury ruled him to be a Sexually Violent Person (SVP).
Michael Boaz, 51, has a history of sexual abuse. He was convicted in 2004 to two years in prison for sexually abusing granddaughters who were under 12 years old. Less than two years after his release from custody, he was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to seven years behind bars for sexually abusing the 15-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son of his then-girlfriend.
When he abused his stepchildren, he was on federal supervised release.
He was convicted of battery in 1992, domestic battery in 2000 and aggravated battery in 2004. In addition, he was also convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in federal court and served 42 months in federal prison.
“The offender has a long history of violent behavior that includes sexually abusing children,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “This individual’s release would jeopardize the safety of children in the community, and I am pleased with the jury’s decision, which will prevent him from having access to children.”
Boaz will stay in the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) for treatment and will be returned to the IDHS SVP Treatment and Detention Facility in Rushville.
To be committed to IDHS under the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act, a person must have been convicted of a sexual violent offense and have a mental disorder, a press release said. Prosecutors also have to prove the offender is likely to commit future acts of sexual violence if they are released.
Once committed to IDHS, offenders are re-evaluated on a regular basis to determine if they still meet the criteria for commitment as a sexually violent person.
