An Uptown man is accused of groping five women over the course of several days last week until his 25-year-old neighbor finally had him arrested for allegedly forcing his way into her home and throwing her on the bed in a violent attack.
The neighbor initially declined to press charges for the alleged home invasion because she feared retaliation from the man, 30-year-old Boney Patel, prosecutors said. But she changed her mind two days later and Patel now faces a list of charges.
Assistant State’s Attorney Jocelyn Schieve said the week-long series of incidents began when Patel’s neighbor woke up December 18 after a night out and found Patel inside her apartment on the 4000 block of North Kenmore.
The next day, Patel allegedly pushed his way into the woman’s apartment and started talking with her. Another neighbor helped the woman get him out, Schieve said.
Around 11:45 the next morning, Patel grabbed a woman’s buttocks at a bus stop on the 4000 block of North Sheridan, according to Schieve and CPD records.
But the most serious charges stem from the alleged home invasion that police documented that evening.
Schieve said Patel “knocked aggressively” on his female neighbor’s door around 10 p.m. December 20. When the woman cracked the door slightly, Patel forced his way in, tried to grab her robe, and threw her onto her bed, according to Schieve.
The woman managed to get away and ran into her bathroom to call police. But Patel followed her, pushed her into the tub, and the two struggled for control of the woman’s phone, according to the allegations.
Once again, the woman got away and began knocking on neighbors’ doors to get help. One of them opened their door, yelled at Patel to leave, and then let the woman call police with their phone, Schieve said.
Officers arrived and tracked the woman’s phone to a nearby bar, where they allegedly found it in Patel’s possession. Police took a home invasion report, but the woman decided not to have Patel arrested because she was afraid he would retaliate, according to Schieve.
A few days later, on Christmas Eve, Patel grabbed the buttocks of three women as they stood in line at a local Walgreens, Schieve said.
And on Christmas Day, another woman who lives in Patel’s building reported that he grabbed her buttocks as she walked up to her apartment.
The home invasion subsequently changed her mind about pursuing charges against Patel. Police arrested him on Sunday afternoon.
Patel’s public defender, Carolyn Howard, said he served in the Navy for ten years.
Prosecutors charged him with felony burglary, unlawful restraint, and three counts of battery. Schieve said he is named in an active “stalking no contact order” that is unrelated to the latest allegations.
Judge John Lyke cited “a litany of red flags” and the “randomness and violent nature” of the allegations as he set bail at $250,000 Tuesday. Lyke ordered Patel to go on electronic monitoring if he can post the $25,000 deposit bond required for release from jail.
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