Sex assault charge added against Mundelein kidnapping suspect
A Chicago man accused of kidnapping a 3-year-old Mundelein girl this summer faces a new charge alleging he sexually assaulted the girl during her 30-minute ordeal.
Jose Reyes, 28, of the 4900 block of West North Avenue, was indicted by a Lake County grand jury Wednesday on felony counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and possession of child pornography, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Fred Day said.
Reyes already faced charges of aggravated kidnapping and kidnapping stemming from the girl’s Sept. 30 abduction. If found guilty of the most serious allegations he could be imprisoned for life under possible sentencing enhancements. A trial date has not yet been set, but Reyes is next due in court over the new charges Nov. 14.
The child pornography in question was a video, Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said. The sex assault charge stems from additional evidence uncovered during the investigation, he said.
“This is a very upsetting case for the family and the victim,” he said. “Waiting for this evidence and information to come forth was a traumatic period. Now we leave it to the justice system.”
Reyes has been in custody at the Lake County jail in lieu of $5 million bail since his Oct. 3 arrest at his Libertyville workplace.
Authorities said Reyes was behind the wheel of his 2007 Hyundai Accent about 5:30 p.m. Sept. 30 when he pulled up next to the 3-year-old girl and her 9-year-old sister near the entrance to the Deepwoods Apartment complex on the 500 block of Deepwoods Drive.
After the older girl refused a candy offering, authorities said, Reyes grabbed the younger child, strapped her in the front seat of his vehicle and sped off while the 9-year-old screamed for help.
About 30 minutes later a man found the girl wandering in a nearby parking lot and phoned police. The girl was taken to a nearby hospital.
Video surveillance from where the girl was dropped off, as well as a traffic ticket that recently had been issued to Reyes, led police to interview and arrest him.
Ÿ Daily Herald staff writer Russell Lissau contributed to this report.