Cops: Man traveled to high school to have sex with girl
Authorities say a 25-year-old man was seized after he went to Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire with the intent of having sex with a girl.
Lincolnshire police announced Thursday that Emmanuel A. Perez, of the 200 block of Court of Shorewood in Vernon Hills, was charged with two counts of indecent solicitation of a child. Perez remains in the Lake County jail because he's been unable to post 10 percent of a $250,000 bond to be freed before trial.
In collaboration with the Lake County sheriff's office cybercrimes unit, Lincolnshire police said they arrested Perez after he was dropped off at Stevenson High about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday. Cops said Perez had planned to meet the 15-year-old pupil for “sexual conduct.”
Lincolnshire police school resource officer Thomas Branick said Perez was arrested without incident after the vehicle pulled away. They said the student was not present.
“The persons who drove him are in no way connected to this case and had no knowledge of Perez's intent,” Branick told the Daily Herald.
Branick said Perez and the girl had communicated over various social media applications and text messages before scheduling the meeting. He said the plan was for the student and Perez to walk off campus to a nearby location.
Stevenson High officials notified Lincolnshire police after learning of the plan, Branick said. That led to the sheriff's cybercrimes unit and Lincolnshire authorities setting up surveillance at the school.
As he was being taken into custody, police said, Perez purportedly claimed he was on Stevenson property because he was a wrestling coach at another Lake County high school.
Police said a preliminary investigation shows Perez was a volunteer wrestling coach at the school about two years ago, but a connection no longer exists.