Crystal Lake man gets 36 years in prison for sex assault of girl who says he ‘claimed to be a man of God’

Despite being convicted of sexually assaulting a child – and being accused of threatening to kill her if she told – a Crystal Lake man claimed his innocence Thursday before being sentenced to 36 years in prison.

On Oct. 31, a jury found Richard Rowland, 60, guilty on three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, Class X felonies.

McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Maggie O’Brien said Rowland assaulted the girl “repeatedly” and threatened to kill her and her family if she told.

“She suffers every single day of her life,” O’Brien said.

The prosecutor said Rowland was convicted ”of one of the most serious crimes” and had asked Judge Tiffany Davis to sentence him to a total of 75 years, 25 for each Class X conviction. Rowland needs a lengthy sentence in order to deter others from sexually assaulting children and to “send a message [to victims] that when a child is repeatedly raped, she can report it and be safe,” O’Brien said.

Rowland is required to serve 85% of his prison term and will receive credit for about a year spent in the county jail since his arrest. Realistically, the total time he could be incarcerated is 30 years, seven months and six days, Davis said. He must register as a sex offender and will be on mandatory supervised release for three years to life.

With about 20 supporters present, Rowland took the stand to give a statement saying the allegations are a “complete fabrication.” His accuser said he sexually assaulted her “hundreds of times.” But, Rowland said, “it did not happen one single solitary time.”

Since being in the county jail, Rowland said he has “become a better person,” lost weight, read scripture and helped other inmates who do not have the same support he has. Although he will be in prison, “my mind and my spirit are not in prison. I will walk with God,” he said.

The charges filed against him reflect sexual assaults over an 18-month period between 2017 and 2019, when the girl was 7 or 8 years old, according to documents and trial testimony. But the girl said he assaulted her from about the age of 6 to almost 11.

Impact statements were read by the girl’s family members, including her mother, who told Rowland, “You truly disgust me,” and that what he did “cannot be undone.”

Crying as she spoke, she said Rowland used her child’s vulnerability and his power over her as an adult to abuse and assault her. Rowland’s abuse took away her daughter’s sense of security, sense of self and ability to trust. She struggles emotionally, and “her scars are deep. ... ”[But] she is resilient. ... She will rise above this."

A letter written by the victim was read by O’Brien. She called Rowland a “coward” and a “pedophile.” Rowland took her “childhood away,” she said, adding that she suffers emotionally and has daily flashbacks of the abuse.

The girl said that Rowland told her his assaults were “in the name of the Lord” and he “claimed to be a man of God.” She asked the judge to give him the maximum sentence “so I can live free, and he can’t abuse other little girls.”

Before the sentencing hearing started Thursday, Rowland’s attorney Christopher Taylor argued for a new trial, saying Rowland did not get a fair trial. In particular, Taylor said, statements heard on a video played for jurors were taken out of context.

In the video, Rowland was being interviewed by a detective in Belvidere. Rowland is heard saying: “If you can prove I did it, prove I did it. Do your best. That’s your job.”

Taylor said jurors should have seen video leading up to that point and that the statement was made out of frustration.

In asking for leniency, Taylor said there have been no other allegations from any other children, and Rowland “has led an exemplary life [and] has a strong connection with God and his beliefs.”

Taylor referred to Rowland’s supporters and said, “All these people have not turned their back on him, even after being convicted of a repugnant crime.”

Rowland also has a pending case in Boone County, where he’s accused of three counts of criminal sexual assault, prosecutors said.