$500,000 bail for Aurora cheerleading coach held on sex abuse charges
A 51-year-old Oswego man and Aurora cheerleading coach accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old prostitute is likely to ring in the new year behind bars in Joliet.
A Will County judge Wednesday morning declined to reduce the $500,000 bail set for Ray Saleh of the 600 block of Hartford Drive and set a preliminary hearing date for 9 a.m. Jan. 16 in Will County.
Saleh is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor, patronizing a minor prostitute and patronizing a prostitute.
Naperville police said the charges stem from a Sept. 26 encounter Saleh is accused of having with the girl in his vehicle that was captured by surveillance cameras from a business near the intersection of 95th Street and Route 59 in Naperville.
Police said witnesses identified Saleh as the man shown in two still photographs the department posted in late October as part of the investigation.
Saleh, identified in court records as a tumbling and cheerleading coach at Aurora's ICE All-Stars at 2680 Diehl Road, was arrested by U.S. Marshals and Aurora police officers Tuesday after a brief foot chase from an Oswego fast-food restaurant on the 200 block of Douglas Road.
Calls placed to ICE All-Stars on Tuesday and Wednesday were not immediately returned.