A judge denied by John Martynus, an accused sexual predator, to take his wife on a cruise for her birthday. (Courtesy of the Will County Sheriff's Office)

A Will County judge today denied a request by a man accused of being a sexual predator to allow him to take his wife on a cruise for her birthday.

John K. Martynus, 39, of Plainfield, asked Judge Richard Schoenstedt if he could leave the continental United States for this cruise, which is prohibited as part of Martynus’ bond conditions. The judge denied the request, but said he might reconsider if Martynus could present evidence that the cruise would be adults-only.

Martynus, who works as a mental health counselor with troubled teens, was charged with indecent solicitation/aggravated sexual abuse and grooming after a incident earlier this month in which he allegedly set up a meeting with a 13-year-old girl at a south suburban Crete fast-food restaurant. The girl he was communicating with was in fact a police officer.

Defense Attorney Don DeWilkins told the judge that the tickets, purchased prior to his client’s arrest, were non-refundable.

Prosecutor Nicole Moore objected citing an order that Martynus have no contact with children.

“There’s no way, when you’re on a cruise, to avoid that contact,” she said.

DeWilkins countered that Martynus, on leave from his job, “is allowed to go into a Target or Jewel grocery. There’s going to be children in the store.”

He also said his client is not a flight risk and should be trusted as he has no previous criminal history.

Acknowledging he is unfamiliar with cruises, DeWilkins also told Schoenstedt, “There might not even be children on the cruise. It’s not a Disney cruise, it’s a Norwegian Cruise.”