Prospect Heights man charged with sexually assaulting teens dies after jail attack

A Prospect Heights man who had been facing charges of sexually abusing teenage boys died following an attack in Cook County jail late last month, according to a spokesman for Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.

Christopher Wheeler, 37, was attacked by another inmate Nov. 28, the spokesman said. The man punched Wheeler in the head once, causing him to fall to the floor.

Staff members and personnel from Cermak Health Services administered medical care to Wheeler, who was transported to Chicago’s Mount Sinai Hospital. He died there Dec. 11.

At the time of his death, Wheeler was being held without bail on 30 felony charges, including aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, criminal sexual assault and child pornography.

The sheriff’s department investigation into Wheeler’s death is ongoing, the spokesman said.

Wheeler’s next court date was scheduled for Jan. 17.

During a 2017 bond hearing at the county courthouse n Rolling Meadows, prosecutors explicitly detailed evidence that Wheeler and his co-defendant, then-husband Anthony Wheeler, sexually abused four boys between 14 and 15-years-old.

The public information officer for the Prospect Heights Police Department at that time said she had never investigated sex crime charges as heinous as those leveled against the couple.

Anthony Wheeler was sentenced Dec. 13 to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and child pornography. Upon release he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.