Judge wants to hear from Wauconda child molester

A Lake County judge said Monday he will bring a convicted child molester back from prison to have her explain a conversation she had with her co-defendant's attorney.

Circuit Judge Fred Foreman is trying to determine if the lawyer for Tiffany Horak's husband, Carl Horak, who also is charged with molesting the same child, did anything improper when he met with her in the county jail.

The Horaks, formerly of Wauconda, were arrested in January and charged with multiple counts of predatory sexual assault of an 8-year-old boy.

Tiffany Horak, 26, pleaded guilty July 23 and agreed to testify against her husband in exchange for a 14-year prison sentence.

Waukegan attorney Robert Ritacca, who represents Carl Horak, met with Tiffany Horak on Aug. 1 or Aug. 2, without seeking permission from the public defender appointed to represent her in the case.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz claims Ritacca attempted to convince Tiffany Horak to withdraw her guilty plea and refuse to testify against her husband during the meeting.

Fisz wants Ritacca disqualified from representing Carl Horak because of the meeting.

Ritacca insists he did nothing improper. He said Monday he went to the jail only to interview Tiffany Horak about her testimony against his client, as he would any witness who was going to testify.

Foreman said he would not be able to resolve the matter without hearing from Tiffany Horak, and scheduled an Oct. 21 hearing to get her side of the story.