Joliet Man Sentenced to 118-Years in Prison for Multiple Criminal Sexual Assaults

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office has announced a 118-year prison sentence against a 37-year-old Joliet man for multiple criminal sexual assaults against a Joliet teenager in 2015. Chandel Dirkans was sentenced on Monday by Circuit Judge David Carlson. Dirkans was found guilty in August 2019 on 17 counts, including 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, 5 counts of criminal sexual assault, 1 count of aggravated unlawful restraint, and 1 count of aggravated domestic battery against the female juvenile. He also previously pled guilty to one count of “armed habitual criminal.” The victim was 16 at the time, and the acts occurred inside the home in which they both resided on the 600 block of Grant Street.

Dirkans, the brother of the victim’s stepmother, sexually assaulted the teenager five times over a nearly three-hour period on November 5, 2015, while other family members were at work. Following the assaults, Dirkans forced the victim into a vehicle and drove her around. He drove her back to the residence and threatened that he could kill her if he wanted to as they sat parked in the driveway. He eventually released her from the vehicle. Dirkans surrendered to police after a multiple-hours standoff during which he had barricaded himself in the home. Judge Carlson found Dirkans guilty on all counts presented at the four-day bench trial. At the time of the assaults, Dirkans was on parole for a 2009 conviction for residential burglary. He also had previous convictions for unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, robbery and burglary.