Crystal Lake man charged with abusing teen

A 44-year-old Crystal Lake man faces up to seven years in prison after his arrest over the weekend on allegations he molested a teenage girl.

Timothy A. Abed, of the 4100 block of Route 31, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse stemming from an investigation launched last year when the girl came forward with the accusations, authorities said.

Abed appeared in court on the charge Saturday and now is free after posting $6,000 bond. His attorney, Jamie Wombacher, said her client is "absolutely not guilty," but did not comment further on the allegations.

Court records show Abed faced similar sex abuse charges in 2002 involving another girl younger than 16, but later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge alleging unwanted touching and was placed on probation.

In November, records show, the mother of a 15-year-old girl acquainted with Abed obtained an order of protection against him on the girl's behalf.

In a petition seeking the protective order, the mother states her daughter claimed Abed repeatedly forced himself on her and threatened to harm members of her family if she told anyone.

The order of protection, however, was vacated in December after the girl's mother missed two court dates related to the request.

Abed, who faces three to seven years in prison or probation if found guilty on the sex abuse charge, is scheduled to return to court April 6.