Chicago man charged in Schaumburg teen’s disappearance

A 27-year-old Chicago man faces sex abuse and child pornography charges in connection with the disappearance last week of a teenage girl from Schaumburg, police announced Tuesday.

Jose Albert Quiroz, of the 7700 block of South Kilpatrick, could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison if convicted on three felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He also faces a felony charge of child pornography and a misdemeanor count of harboring a runaway.

The 16-year-old girl, who had been missing since March 2, was found with Quiroz about 2 p.m. Monday at a hotel in the 7700 block of South Cicero Avenue in Chicago, near Midway Airport. Police said she was not abducted and appeared in good condition.

Charged alongside Quiroz is the girl’s cousin, Felicia Chavez, 18, of the 300 block of Raymond Street in Elgin, on a single felony count of obstructing justice. Police said Chavez knew of a relationship between Quiroz and the girl, and repeatedly lied or provided misleading information to detectives trying to locate them.

“We could have had her at home Thursday had the cousin been forthright and not misled us,” Schaumburg police Sgt. John Nebl said. “The cousin flat-out lied to us.”

The girl was reported missing the night of March 2 after she failed to return home from classes at Schaumburg High School.

Police said the girl previously met Quiroz through a telephone “chat room” and they developed a relationship which included sexual contact at locations in Schaumburg and Chicago during January and February.

The teen left a note for her mother in a school locker advising she was leaving home, investigators said. Nebl said police located the note Monday.

On March 2, police said, Chavez took the girl and Quiroz to the Schaumburg train station so they could travel to Chicago.

Police later learned of sexual contact between Quiroz and the girl from March 2 to Monday. Detectives also recovered photos of a juvenile on Quiroz’s cell phone, leading to the child pornography charge.

A Cook County judge set bond for Quiroz at $40,000 Tuesday morning, meaning he will need to post $4,000 cash to go free while awaiting trial. Chavez was granted an individual bond, which didn’t require posting cash.