Georgia man charged with abusing two girls in a hotel pool

A Cook County judge set bail at $200,000 Wednesday for a traveling salesman from Georgia who was charged with molesting two children in an Elk Grove Village hotel swimming pool.

Judge Jill Cerone Marisie also ordered Charles Smith, of the 1300 block of Howard Way in Lawrenceville, Georgia, have no contact with anyone under 18.

Smith, 55, is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of two girls, ages 10 and 11. The class 2 felony is punishable by three to seven years in prison. Probation is also available.

Smith, who was staying at the Ramada O’Hare hotel on July 14, did not know the girls, one of whom was attending a child’s birthday party. Police say the girls were swimming in the pool when Smith — who did not work for the hotel — entered the pool, claimed to be a lifeguard and offered to give the girls swimming instruction.

According to authorities, the girls said Smith touched them inappropriately and that at least one girl slapped his hand away several times.

Smith, whose background in Georgia includes one year supervision in 1999 for driving while his license was suspended or revoked, and probation for a 1985 DUI, next appears in court on Aug. 10.