Minister gets 18 years for sex acts with minor

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Morris Eubanks was convicted by jury of predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Scanned 6-22-11.

Updated: June 23, 2011 4:43PM

A minister was sentenced Wedneday to 18 years in prison for committing two sex acts with an 11-year-old.

Morris Eubanks, 59, of Waukegan, was convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse during his trial in April. He could have faced up to 60 years in prison for the predatory charge and up to seven years for the aggravated criminal sexual abuse charge for what Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak Called “very serious charges.”

“He did not take responsibility for what he has done. He blamed (others) and he expressed no empathy for (the victim),” said Assistant State’s Attorney Ari Fisz.

Fisz asked Potkonjak to impose an 18-year sentence for the predatory criminal sexual assault charge and an additional five years for the sexual abuse charge. By law, Eubanks must serve those sentences consecutively.

Potkonjak gave Eubanks 13 years for the predatory charge and five years for the other charge. In addition, Eubanks will have to report as a sex offender for life.

Eubanks was arrested July 30, 2009. He was 56 when he sexually abused the 11-year old girl.

“It could have gotten worse if the complaint wasn’t made when it was, but that’s speculation,” Potkonjak said.

Eubanks had a criminal history from the late 1960s and early 1970s for charges related to bad checks. He served 18 months in a California prison for possession of a stolen check, defense attorney Chris Lombardo said.

“Once he got his life in the right direction, he found inspiration in ministering, horse raising and in being a father figure,” Lombardo said. “Since he has been in custody, he’s been helping other people incarcerated through ministry.”

Eubanks is a father of five, whose youngest is 5 years old, he said when he addressed the court.

“I can’t describe how painful that it is to hear (my son) is still crying for me,” Eubanks said.

He stated that he has been a minister for “20 odd” years.

“I want this court to know when I am out, I will go back to trying to help people turn their life around,” Eubanks said. “I want this court to know that whatever time is given to me, I will walk it upstandingly. I will walk it as God would have me walk it.”

His sentencing hearing followed post trial motions asking Potkonjak to vacate his guilty verdict and grant him a new trial. Potkonjak also heard a motion Eubanks prepared himself.

Eubanks’ motion alleged that Lombardo was ineffective as his council. He based this on more than 20 points that the court heard one by one.

One of his complaints was that there was a male and female prosecutor handling the trial while he had one attorney. Judge Potkonjak said it was within the State’s Attorney’s Office purview to determine which prosecutors they assign and how many will handle each case.

“Your attorney didn’t have any right to object to this,” Potkonjak said.