Sexual assault charges are very serious in Chicago. They can lead to extreme punishments that have life-long effects. These ramifications can start from the moment a person faces allegations of sexual assault.
For one 26-year-old man, these consequences have started the moment he was arrested. According to police, the man broke into a home on Chicago’s Southside by using a garbage can. Once in the house, police claim that the man grabbed a knife from the kitchen and went to a bedroom to find a 40-year-old woman. When the woman screamed, her 22-year-old daughter rushed into the room. Police claim that the man then forced both women into the bed and sexually assaulted both of them. He then demanded money and left.
According to police, only a few hours later, the man used the knife to threaten and drag a 14-year-old girl off the street and into a yard. The girl had been walking to a bus stop. Allegedly, the man assaulted the girl before he was seen by a witness.
Police also accuse the man of hiding in the bedroom of an 11-year-old girl in the same neighborhood. However, police say he escaped that house after the family dog alerted the family.
He has been charged with criminal trespassing and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault. Recently, the court has denied bond for the man, and he will therefore spend all of the criminal proceedings behind bars.
In this case, sexual assault charges have led to immediate imprisonment. Until the criminal proceedings are complete, this man will not have the chance to live freely. Without the right criminal defense, other consequences can include a prison sentence, probation and a permanent criminal record.
Source: NBC Chicago, “Bond Denied for Indiana Man Charged in String of Chicago Sexual Assaults,” Oct. 21, 2013
