Buddhist Monk sentenced to 15 Years in prison for Sexual Assault

A Buddhist monk has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a teen-aged girl over the course of two years and impregnating her, according to the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Camnong Boa-Ubol, 62, pled guilty to one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault for assaulting the girl on numerous occasions on the grounds of a Buddhist temple in south suburban Stickney where he worked.

According to prosecutors, the assaults began in 1998 when the victim was 13 years old. Boa-Ubol asked the victim to do work outside the temple, and the victim agreed and he paid her. Eventually, the defendant invited the victim inside a trailer located on the grounds of the temple and sexually assaulted her. Over the course of approximately two years, the assaults continued on multiple occasions. The victim did not report the incidents to anyone because she was the afraid of the defendant, who had threatened to harm her and her family.

According to prosecutors, the victim became pregnant in 1999 and gave birth to a child in early 2000. The victim never disclosed any information about the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy or the sexual assaults. The allegations came to light years later after the victim confided to a relative about the assaults. A paternity test confirmed that the defendant was the biological father of the child and Boa-Ubol was charged in 2012.

Cook County Judge Colleen Hyland imposed the 15-year sentence for the defendant during a hearing on September 27, 2013 at the Cook County Courthouse in Bridgeview.

State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Michelle Papa of the Sex Crimes Division for her work on the case.