Sheriff: Palatine man accused of Riverwoods hotel sex assault involved in jail fight

A Palatine man accused of forcing a woman to perform a sex act at gunpoint at a Riverwoods hotel in December had a new charge levied against him stemming from a fight at the Lake County jail.

Jail employees said they saw Matthew Aronson, 25, fighting another inmate on May 7, Lake County sheriff's Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.

Covelli said corrections officers used pepper spray on Aronson when he refused orders to stop fighting. After the fight, Aronson was moved to the maximum security area of the jail and was charged May 17 with one misdemeanor count of battery, Covelli said.

On March 24, a judge set Aronson's bail at $3 million after prosecutors alleged he prevented a woman from leaving a Riverwoods hotel room, pointed a revolver at her head, punched her several times and forced her to perform a sex act.

Aronson is charged with six counts of aggravated sexual assault, three counts of criminal sexual assault, two counts of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery, armed violence and obstructing justice.

He also is charged with felony counts of cyberstalking and electronic harassment in a separate case. Prosecutors said in February that Aronson threatened to sexually assault the victim's mother.

On May 18, Aronson paid $300,000 in cash to be released from jail while his case is pending, officials said

Lake County state's attorney's office spokeswoman Sara Avalos said Aronson must wear an electronic monitor and can leave his home only for work and court hearings.