Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Kidnapped 3-Year-Old Girl
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (STMW) -- Charges of sexual assault and child pornography have been filed against a Chicago man who allegedly abducted a 3-year-old north suburban girl in September, then returned her a short time later.
Jose E. Reyes, 28, of the 4900 block of West North Avenue, faces one new felony count of criminal sexual assault and additional felony counts of making and possessing child pornography for the Sept. 30 kidnapping, according to Cynthia Trujillo-Vargas, spokeswoman for the Lake County State's Attorney's office.
A grand jury indicted Reyes on the additional charges Wednesday, she said.
Reyes was arrested Oct. 3 for the Mundelein abduction that lasted about 30 minutes. At that time, he was charged with felony counts of aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping and unlawful restraint, according to Mundelein police.
He is being held in the Lake County Jail on a $5 million bond.
Neither police nor prosecutors could say why Reyes took the girl, or returned her. Reyes did not appear to have any connection to the victim, Mundelein police Chief Eric Guenther said at the time. "The incident appears to be random."
Police identified Reyes' vehicle from surveillance cameras located in the apartment complex. Witnesses provided partial license plate information and police searched state records, which led to Reyes.
The abduction occurred about 5:30 p.m. near the entrance to a condominium complex at 555 Deepwoods Dr. in Mundelein, according to Mundelein police.
The suspect had been seen earlier in the day handing out candy to children in the area, police said. He was also reported to be in the area the day before.
Before the abduction, the girl was walking with her mother and older sister to a building in the condo complex. When the mother went ahead, the man pulled up in a car and had a "brief conversation" with the children before grabbing the 3-year-old, Guenther said.
Witnesses saw the car drive away toward Route 45, Guenther said, but about 30 minutes later, a resident saw the girl running in one of the complex parking lots.
"A private citizen's security camera caught him going into the complex and dropping the girl off 30 minutes later in a rear parking lot," he said.
Although Reyes lives in Chicago, he works in Libertyville, according to the state's attorney's office.
He refused to provide a DNA sample voluntarily after being arrested, but authorities obtained a warrant allowing them to perform the test, prosecutors said.
Reyes has prior arrests for burglary and assault, Mundelein Deputy Chief John Monahan said.
Should Reyes post bond, the judge prohibited him from contacting the victim, her family, or any children under 18; and he is not to come within 500 feet of the crime scene at Deepwoods Drive.
He will next appear in court Nov. 14, the state's attorney's office said.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
