Waukegan man denies raping 4-year-old
A Waukegan man accused of kidnapping and raping a 4-year-old girl pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lake County Circuit Court.
Associate Judge Christopher Stride told Lonnie Bobbitt, 46, he may face a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted of all the charges against him.
Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz said Bobbitt, of the 400 block of McKinley Street, was a friend of the victim's family and was visiting them July 26. At some point during the night, Fisz said, Bobbitt left the family's residence with the girl and returned to his apartment.
The girl's mother awoke the next morning to find her daughter missing, and she went to Bobbitt's house where she found the girl in a bedroom.
Bobbitt is charged with predatory sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated kidnapping and failure to register as a sex offender.
Fisz said preliminary records indicate Bobbitt was sentenced to four years in prison in 1995 after being convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault.
If that information is confirmed, Fisz said, the only sentence Bobbitt would be eligible for is life in prison.
Stride scheduled a trial of the case for Oct. 26. He ordered Bobbitt, who is held on $1 million bond, to appear in court Sept. 10.