Glendale Heights man charged with sex assault of teen from El Salvador

As soon as his girlfriend's daughter arrived on a plane from El Salvador, Jose Hernandez told the teen she was “in his hands now” and proceeded to rape her repeatedly over the next two years, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Hernandez, 38, of the 400 block of Gregory Avenue in Glendale Heights, appeared in DuPage County bond court on a charge of criminal sexual assault.

Prosecutor Jeff Muntz said the victim, now 17, recently came forward with allegations Hernandez fondled and raped her repeatedly beginning about May 2008, when she arrived from El Salvador to live with him and her mother.

“As soon as the defendant met the victim at the airport in Chicago, he said she was in his hands now and began telling her how beautiful she was,” Muntz said in court.

Hernandez is accused of sexually assaulting the minor on a weekly basis through August 2010, when authorities said she and her mother moved to another state.

Once the victim came forward, Muntz said, her mother began receiving text messages from Hernandez “basically taunting her.” In one message, Hernandez admitted assaulting the victim, writing “it was worth it to arrange her papers,” Muntz said. He said Hernandez also suggested the victim's mother bring another girl into the country.

Judge Elizabeth Sexton set bail at $750,000, meaning Hernandez would have to post $75,000 to go free while his case is pending. She also ordered him to wear a tracking device and to have no contact with the victim or her mother if released.

Hernandez, who told the judge he is a welder, was previously convicted of misdemeanor sexual abuse in Chicago, according to prosecutors. He is scheduled to appear April 24 in front of DuPage Judge Kathryn Creswell.