A Pekin man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor after traveling to Peoria to engage in sexual acts with a girl he believed to be 10 years old, prosecutors said.
The Mark Steven Peterson, 42, had “multiple online conversations with a person he believed to be a stepfather of a 10-year-old female, discussing specific sexual acts he would like to perform,” in April 2025, according to evidence shared during a June 18 sentencing hearing. He scheduled a time to carry out these acts and was arrested by FBI agents when he traveled to Peoria to do so.
While Peterson was conditionally released on bond in July 2025, he was arrested the following month for violating the terms of his release. He has remained in custody since and pleaded guilty in December 2025.
His sentence includes five years supervised release, and he must also register as a sex offender.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Pekin man sentenced to prison for attempted enticement of a 10-year-old in Peoria
Reporting by Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
