Chicago Man Gets 6 Years in Prison After Paying for Sex with Child

A Chicago man who traveled to Aurora and paid for a sexual encounter with a child has been sent to prison.
Marek P. Gacierz, 34, of the 3700 block of North Octavia Street in Chicago, was sentenced to six years in prison.

Gacierz was convicted June 22, 2016, of involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, traveling to meet a minor and grooming.

Kane County prosecutors said at the trial that on Jan. 8, 2015, Gacierz traveled from Chicago to an Aurora hotel with the intent to pay to have sex with what he believed would be a 15-year-old girl. When Gacierz arrived at the hotel, he met a person he thought was the girls’ mother, confirmed that he wanted sexual favors, paid the person $150, and was arrested by officers from Homeland Security Investigations and the Aurora Police Department, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.

In addition to the prison term, Gacierz must register for 10 years as a sexual offender in accordance with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act.

According to Illinois law, Gacierz is eligible for day-for-day sentencing. He receives credit for 176 days served in the Kane County jail.

“Mr. Gacierz was prepared to satisfy his sexual needs by exploiting a child, an appalling and depraved act. Although those who seek out children for sexual favors are only part of the problem, the supply is more likely to be eliminated if the demand goes away. I hope this sentence and others like it in recent weeks show others who seek to exploit children that law enforcement at all levels is committed to ending the exploitation of children,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said in a news release.

photo via the Kane County State's Attorney's Office