Elgin sex offender facing his third burglary charge skips bail
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A convicted child sex offender and illegal immigrant who was charged with breaking into an Elgin home in June where a 13-year-old girl hid in the basement has skipped bail, according to police.
Salvador Sarabia, 28, has served time for two burglaries, drug-related charges and criminal sexual abuse of a minor and has been deported twice. He had been free after posting the required $10,000 of his $100,000 bail.
Sarabia, of the 800 block of Ford Avenue, did not show up for his court date on Nov. 21, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to Elgin police.
Although Sarabia had an Immigration and Naturalization Services hold against him, a Cook County ordinance passed in September allowed Sarabia to leave the Cook County jail after posting bond.
The controversial ordinance halts compliance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests, which could have kept him behind bars for up to two days after posting to allow federal authorities time to pick him up for possible deportation.
On the orning June 27, Sarabia and 27-year-old Fidel Romero of Rockford broke the glass on the front door on a home on the 100 block of Neutrenton Avenue and made their way inside, police said.
The men left with a flat-screen TV and other items but were caught shortly after because a terrified 13-year-old girl was hiding in the basement during the break-in managed to call 911 while clutching her dog behind the basement bar, police said.
Police released the 911 tapes of the girl's call, who stayed on the line whispering to a dispatcher until after officers had captured Sarabia and Romero.
Sarabia was sentenced to three years in prison on burglary convictions in 2003 and 2006, according to prosecutors at his bond hearing in June. Because of those prior convictions, he faced up to 30 years in prison on the new charge.
Anyone with information on Sarabia's whereabouts is asked to call Elgin police at (847) 289-2500 or leave an anonymous tip at (847) 695-4195.
