People v. H.C. (In Re H.C.)

*37 ¶ 1 After a bench trial in juvenile court for criminal sexual abuse, H.C., the 17-year-old minor respondent, was found guilty. The trial court adjudicated him to be delinquent and a ward of the court, and sentenced him to 18 months of probation.

¶ 2 In this appeal, respondent seeks a new sentencing hearing, claiming that the trial court improperly considered his maintenance of innocence as an aggravating factor when sentencing him and, therefore, denied respondent's request for supervision instead of probation. For the following reasons, we affirm.

¶ 3 BACKGROUND

¶ 4 On August 20, 2018,…