Jury clears volunteer of accusations he molested disabled teen

A McHenry County jury deliberated about 2½ hours today before acquitting a onetime volunteer of the year of accusations he molested a developmentally disabled teenager on a group outing.

Israel Ayala, of Woodstock, said he was relieved by the verdict, adding that it had been a difficult three years living under the cloud of the 2006 allegations.

"I'm happy that the jury found the truth," he said. "I wouldn't wish this (experience) on anyone."

Ayala, 29, had been facing a charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse alleging he inappropriately touched the 15-year-old girl during a Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association outing to a Woodstock movie theater. A former volunteer for the organization that provides recreation to people with special needs, Ayala had been called to help chaperon teens during the July 2006 outing.

The girl, now 18, testified that during the movie Ayala touched her while she sat next to him. Police said Ayala later gave a written statement admitting to touching the girl inappropriately.

Ayala, however, denied the girl's claims and said he did not understand what police were asking him to do when he gave the written statement. A defense expert testified that Ayala, a native of Mexico, can only read and write English an the level of a 7- or 8-year-old and several other defense witnesses told jurors the accuser had a history of making false statements.

During closing arguments, Ayala attorney Thomas Loizzo said he believes the girl made false accusations against his client because he had made her abide by NISRA rules during group outings.

"She lashed out at him because he was setting boundaries and she didn't like it," he said.

Because of the seating arrangement in the theater, with a fixed armrest separating Ayala from the girl, it would have been physically impossible for the touching to have taken place the way the girl described it, Loizzo added.

Prosecutors said Ayala targeted the victim because of her developmental disability.

"He thought (the girl) was a perfect victim," Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Sharyl Eisenstein said. "He thought he could get away with it."