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Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/11-25 (2026)

Grooming

✓ current as of May 2026
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(720 ILCS 5/11-25)
    Sec. 11-25. Grooming.
    (a) A person commits grooming when, being 5 years or more older than a child, or holding a position of trust, authority, or supervision in relation to the child at the time of the offense, he or she knowingly:
        (1) uses a computer on-line service, Internet
    
service, local bulletin board service, or any other device capable of electronic data storage or transmission, performs an act in person or by conduct through a third party, or uses written communication to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, a child, a child's guardian, or another person believed by the person to be a child or a child's guardian, to commit any sex offense, to distribute photographs depicting the sex organs of the child, or to otherwise engage in any unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person believed by the person to be a child; or
        (2) engages in a pattern of conduct that seduces,
    
solicits, lures, or entices, or attempts to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, a child to engage or participate in unlawful sexual conduct that is for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the victim, the accused, or another.
    (a-5) As used in this Section:
    "Child" means a person under 17 years of age.
    "Pattern" means 2 or more instances of conduct.
    "Sex offense" means any violation of Article 11 of this Code.
    "Sexual conduct" means masturbation, sexual conduct, or sexual penetration as defined in Section 11-0.1 of this Code.
    (a-6) Illinois has a compelling interest in effective education and "grooming" does not include conduct that serves a legitimate educational purpose pursuant to Section 27-9.1a of the School Code.
    (b) Sentence. Grooming is a Class 4 felony.
(Source: P.A. 104-245, eff. 1-1-26.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 23 cases (16 in the last 5 years), 2016–2026 · leading case: People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016).
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People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 3× “On the other hand, any violation of the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2012))—including solicitation of a predatory criminal sexual assault—is only a Class 4 felony.”
People v. Barker, 2021 IL App (1st) 192588 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 4× “¶ 31 ANALYSIS ¶ 32 On appeal, defendant contends that (1) the trial court erred in denying his pretrial motion to dismiss the indictment for the grooming charge because the State presented deceptive testimony before the grand jury, (2) the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25…”
People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). · cites it 4× “On the other hand, any violation of the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2012))—including solicitation of a predatory criminal sexual assault—is only a Class 4 felony.”
People v. Opas, 2025 IL App (1st) 250208 (Ill. App. Ct. 2025). · cites it 2× “6(a), (b) (West 2022) (Class 4 felony “when the solicitor believes he or she is 5 or more years older than the child”)), and (9) grooming (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2022) (Class 4 felony)).”
People v. Hubbell, 2021 IL App (2d) 190442 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 2× “Hubbell, was tried by a jury under an indictment charging him with grooming (720 ILCS 5/11-25(a) (West 2016)) in that he knowingly used a device capable of electronic data storage or transmission to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice—or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or…”
People v. Gaciarz, 2017 IL App (2d) 161102 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). · cites it 2× “…offense of grooming contains elements that track the latter elements of the offense of traveling to meet a minor. See 720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2014).”
People v. Gaciarz, 2017 IL App (2d) 161102 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “See 720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2014). -8- violated the law.”
People v. Wallace, 2025 IL App (4th) 241509-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2025). · cites it 8× “1, 2026) (amending 720 ILCS 5/11-25). Under the amended statute, a defendant who knowingly “engages in a pattern of conduct that seduces, solicits, lures, or entices, or attempts to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child to engage or participate in unlawful sexual conduct that…”
People v. Hubbell, 2021 IL App (2d) 190442 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 3× “Hubbell, was tried by a jury under an indictment charging him with grooming (720 ILCS 5/11-25(a) (West 2016)) in that he knowingly used a device capable of electronic data storage or transmission to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice—or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or…”
People v. Farah, 2025 IL App (4th) 250322-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2025). “BACKGROUND ¶5 Following a police “sting” operation, defendant was apprehended and charged with grooming (720 ILCS 5/11-25(a) (West 2024)), indecent solicitation of a child (id.”
People v. Bassett, 2025 IL App (5th) 250124-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2025). · cites it 2× “1(a)(6), (c)); unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony (720 ILCS 570/402(c) (West 2022)); and grooming, a Class 4 felony (720 ILCS 5/11-25(a) (West 2022)). The circuit court appointed counsel for the defendant.”
Hubly v. Ayala, 2023 IL App (2d) 220015-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023). · cites it 3× “In support of his position, Hubly asserts that the offense of “grooming” as defined in section 11-25 of the Criminal Code of 2012 (Criminal Code) (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2020)) means “a crime in which a person uses an electronic device or other technology to lure a child under…”
Show all 23 citing cases →
— 720 ILCS 5/11-25(a) — 15 cases
People v. Hubbell, 2021 IL App (2d) 190442 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “Hubbell, was tried by a jury under an indictment charging him with grooming (720 ILCS 5/11-25(a) (West 2016)) in that he knowingly used a device capable of electronic data storage or transmission to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice—or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or…”
People v. Barker, 2021 IL App (1st) 192588 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “¶ 31 ANALYSIS ¶ 32 On appeal, defendant contends that (1) the trial court erred in denying his pretrial motion to dismiss the indictment for the grooming charge because the State presented deceptive testimony before the grand jury, (2) the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25…”
People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “On the other hand, any violation of the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2012))—including solicitation of a predatory criminal sexual assault—is only a Class 4 felony.”
People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “On the other hand, any violation of the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2012))—including solicitation of a predatory criminal sexual assault—is only a Class 4 felony.”
People v. Gaciarz, 2017 IL App (2d) 161102 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “…offense of grooming contains elements that track the latter elements of the offense of traveling to meet a minor. See 720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2014).”
— 720 ILCS 5/11-25(a)(2) — 1 case
People v. Rubio, 2026 IL App (1st) 240291-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2026).
— 720 ILCS 5/11-25(b) — 2 cases
People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “On the other hand, any violation of the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2012))—including solicitation of a predatory criminal sexual assault—is only a Class 4 felony.”
People v. Vara, 2016 IL App (2d) 140849 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “On the other hand, any violation of the grooming statute (720 ILCS 5/11-25 (West 2012))—including solicitation of a predatory criminal sexual assault—is only a Class 4 felony.”
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