A 26 year-old Edgewater man was sentenced yesterday to 192 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in June 2009.  Dominic Pearson already had three prior felony convictions when he sexually assaulted the teen who was staying overnight with a friend.
 
The teen’s friend lived in the same apartment complex at 2815 W. 24th in Edgewater as Pearson. The girl and her friend met Pearson, and a friend of his, in the apartment complex parking lot and they all began talking. Pearson bought them alcohol, which they all drank together at the victim’s friend’s apartment.

Pearson and his friend left around midnight and went to bar. The victim and her friend went to sleep.
 
In the early morning hours of June 13, the teen awoke to find Pearson in her friend’s apartment.  She ordered him to leave.  Pearson attacked the teen and began punching and hitting her about the head and shoulders.  The teen’s friend ran from the apartment and called police.

Pearson sexually assaulted the young girl and then grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of her friend’s apartment, to his own apartment.  The assault continued.  Edgewater police arrived at the apartment complex.  When Pearson became aware the police were nearby he became distracted just long enough for the girl to escape and jump from a window.

Following one mistrial and one hung jury, a third jury found Pearson guilty of  two counts of sexual assault, one count of kidnapping and two violent crime counts on May 27, 2010.

This was Pearson’s fourth felony conviction. He was found to be a habitual criminal at a separate trial on May 28. 

The day before the sentencing hearing the teen was honored by the District Attorney’s Office for her courage and bravery; she was awarded the “Courage Coin.”

The Courage Coin was created by Storey to honor special individuals whose courage and tenacity deserve special recognition. There is one coin for prosecutors, one coin for law enforcement officer and one coin for citizens the District Attorney wants to honor. 

Each coin is given to someone who has demonstrated the strength to venture out and persevere through danger, fear and difficulty; someone who acted selflessly in the pursuit of justice. 

“All too often, in our business, we deal with the evil that man perpetrates on man. We should focus instead on the victims whose strength and spirits drive us on,” said Storey. “This teen is an inspiration to us all. Not only did she survive the brutal attack; she lived to tell her of her experience, not once, but three times, to three separate juries. Sometimes we are frustrated with how the justice system works. But survivors like this courageous young woman are why we do our jobs.”