Orland Park Man Charged With Soliciting Sex From Minors
NEW LENOX, Ill. (STMW) -- A 27-year-old Orland Park man who used Facebook and Skype to communicate with two southwest suburban teenagers was charged Thursday with soliciting sex from the two minors over the Internet, New Lenox police said.
Joseph Bozen, of 9910 Shady Lane, was charged with two counts of indecent solicitation of a minor and two counts of "grooming" a minor — using electronic equipment to seduce, lure or entice or attempting to seduce and entice a minor to commit a sex offense, New Lenox Police Sgt. Pete Nelson said. All are Class 4 felonies.
Bond was set at $75,000 and Bozen was ordered to have no contact with anyone under 18 years old, Will County State's Attoney's office spokesman Chuck Pelkie said.
He was being held at the Will County Jail. His next court date is Sept. 21.
The two minors, who were friends, are 15 -and 16-year-old girls. Nelson said police were notified Monday night by one of the girl's parents, who found inappropriate messaging on the Internet, which police tracked to Bozen, Nelson said.
New Lenox police obtained and executed a search warrant and confiscated Bozen's cell phone, computer and discs, which have been turned over to the Will County Sheriff's high-technology crime unit for further investigation. Depending on what is found, there could be additional charges, Nelson said.
During an interview with police, Bozen admitted to sending inappropriate messages and video displays to the girls, Nelson said. Bozen allegedly used Facebook and Skype to chat with the girls, Nelson said.
Nelson said this is the second such incident in the last three years in New Lenox, and in both cases, police were notified by a parent or relative who was "keeping track of what kids are doing on the computer."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
