IN THE NEWS

Crystal Lake woman admits helping teen get pierced

By Charles Keeshan | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 1/12/20 12:17 PM

A 46-year-old Crystal Lake woman avoided a possible felony conviction, though perhaps not a father's ire, by admitting in court Tuesday she pretended to be a 16-year-old girl's legal guardian so the girl could get a belly piercing.

Eileen P. Kozlowski, of the 600 block of Chardonnay Lane, was sentenced to two years probation and fined $500 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor attempted forgery stemming from the incident involving the teenage friend of her children.

Kozlowski also was sentenced to 30 days in the McHenry County jail, but will not have to serve that time unless she violates her probation.

In exchange for the guilty plea, county prosecutors dismissed a felony forgery charge initially filed in the case.

The charge alleged that on Jan. 30, 2009, Kozlowski posed as the girl's guardian on a state-mandated release form, allowing the teen to receive the piercing at a Crystal Lake tattoo parlor. A criminal complaint filed last year states that in doing so, Kozlowski "defrauded" the girl's father and exercised "unauthorized authority."

Kozlowski attorney George Kililis said his client made a huge mistake in judgment, but did not act maliciously.

"It goes without saying that any parent would be and should be upset," Kililis said. "But she thought she was doing the right thing because she truly believed the girl was going to (get the piercing) anyway, so she might as well make sure it was supervised. It was misguided, but not criminal in the classic sense."