Police: Gurnee-area man charged in sex attacks

Authorities say a 19-year-old Gurnee-area man has been charged with sexually attacking two girls.

Lake County sheriff's police said Friday that Nyasha C. Mbawa, of the 36000 block of Grand Oaks Court in unincorporated Warren Township, has been charged with seven counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. Both girls were younger than 13 when they were sexually assaulted, sheriff's Detective Wendell Russell said, but he declined to be specific about their ages.

Mbawa is held on 10 percent of a $1 million bail at the Lake County jail. He's to appear Aug. 20 in Lake County circuit court.

Police said Mbawa was arrested July 16, five days after one victim's mother reported to the sheriff's office that her daughter was a victim of a sexual crime. Sheriff's police and the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center worked together to investigate the accusation.

Mbawa told detectives he had inappropriate sexual contact with two girls, according to authorities. Police said he was charged Thursday in the case involving the second girl.

Bail initially was set at $500,000 for Mbawa, but was increased to $1 million after he was charged with attacking the second girl. Anyone with information on Mbawa or additional victims is asked to contact Russell at (847) 377-3180 or Detective Ann Schiltz at (847) 377-4149.

“There could be more (victims), absolutely,” Russell said.