Citing flight risk, judge rejects lower bond for Palatine sex abuse suspect

A 21-year-old Palatine man accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl remained locked up in the McHenry County jail Tuesday after a judge, citing concerns he might flee if let out, refused to lower his bond.

McHenry County Judge Joseph Condon denied the bond reduction for Rene Ortiz, of the 2000 block of Rand Road, after the Palatine man testified that he was not in the country legally and has been traveling back and forth between his native Mexico and the United States since childhood.

"While he does not have much of a record and probably is not a danger to the community, he does have the ability to leave the U.S. and reside in Mexico," Condon said. "The bond is reasonable under those circumstances."

Ortiz has been held in the county jail unable to post a $5,000 cash bond since his arrest Thursday on a charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The charge alleges that while living in Island Lake in October, Ortiz had sex with a 15-year-old girl he was dating. The girl, a high school student, is now pregnant, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

The charge is a Class 2 felony punishable by a maximum three to seven years in prison. Ortiz is scheduled to return to court May 6 for a likely arraignment.