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Palatine man charged with sex assault, child pornography

A 44-year-old Palatine man faces sexual assault and child pornography charges after prosecutors say police discovered evidence of him engaging in sexual acts with a 16-year-old girl.

Candido Chavez-Barreto has been charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, child pornography and aggravated criminal abuse. A Cook County judge set his bail at $200,000 this week in Rolling Meadows.

A relative of the girl’s found a cellphone memory chip containing videotaped images of her and Chavez-Barreto engaged in sexual activities, said a spokeswoman from the Office of the Cook County State’s Attorney.

The relative confronted the girl, who later told a counselor at the Children’s Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County that she and the defendant engaged in sexual activities from April 2011 to Feb. 20 and that he used his cellphone to videotape many of their encounters. The girl also told police he made financial threats against her family if she refused, the spokeswoman said.

Chavez-Barreto must post $20,000 to be released on bond. He next appears in court on April 24.

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