Warrant out for Gurnee Mills attack suspect

An arrest warrant has been issued for a paroled child molester accused in the abduction, robbery and sexual attack of a woman that started as she was leaving Gurnee Mills last month, authorities said.

Richard R. Gallatin, 37, whose last known address is in the 5400 block of 75th Street in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., has been charged in the warrant with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery stemming from the June 5 incident.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections records show Gallatin is a convicted child sex offender. He was convicted of first-degree sexual assault of a child in Kenosha County in July 2003.

Gurnee police Cmdr. Jay Patrick said Gallatin was on parole when he attacked the woman. Gallatin was listed Tuesday as not complying with the lifetime requirement to provide information for Wisconsin's sex offender registry.

Police detectives, working with the U.S. Marshals Service, continued hunting Tuesday for Gallatin, who is known to frequent the Kenosha area. Police said the suspect also has a history in Cook County and contacts in Arizona and northwest Indiana.

Authorities said the attack began when the woman was walking to her car in Gurnee Mills Lot F about 9:20 p.m. June 5. Police accuse Gallatin of implying he had a gun when he forced the victim into her vehicle.

She was instructed to drive Gallatin to an automated teller machine in Grayslake, where he forced her to withdraw $40 from her bank account. Police said the woman then was made to drive west on Route 120 to Route 47, then south toward Campton Hills in Kane County.

Once near Campton Hills, police said, the victim was told to drive to a church parking lot where Gallatin sexually assaulted her.

Gallatin forced the woman to drive to a convenience store in Forest Park after the sexual assault, according to police. He fled the vehicle about 1:20 a.m. June 6, and the woman drove back to Lake County to report the attack.

Police said Gallatin should be considered armed and dangerous. They ask the public to not approach Gallatin, but contact a local law enforcement agency if he is spotted.

An unspecified cash reward is being offered for credible information leading to Gallatin's capture. A $1 million bond has been set for Gallatin upon his arrest.