A 29-year-old man faces multiple felony charges for allegedly targeting six females in a series of sexual abuse, battery, and assault incidents in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood last week. Jabreel Watson was ordered detained by Judge Rivanda Beal.
The incidents began at 9:30 p.m. on June 22 in the 9800 block of South Walden when a 17-year-old girl, walking home after a nail appointment while wearing headphones, noticed Watson beside her, prosecutors said. He made advances, which she rejected, claiming she had a boyfriend.
Undeterred, Watson made explicit sexual comments, grabbed her buttocks three or four times, and squeezed her breast, according to a detention proffer. The teen recorded audio of the encounter, during which Watson followed her, propositioned her for sex, attempted to lower his pants, and claimed to have a gun, though none was seen.
When she pointed her phone camera at him, he fled. The victim ran home and reported the incident to her mother, who called the police.
The following morning, at 9:30 a.m. on June 23, a woman was walking in the 1500 block of West 103rd Street after dropping her children at daycare when Watson, shirtless, initiated a conversation while she was on the phone, prosecutors said. He allegedly made highly sexual comments and grabbed her buttocks. After she slapped his hand and told him to leave, he tried to grab her between her legs, according to prosecutors.
The woman backed away and crossed the street, but Watson matched her pace, cut her off, and blocked her path near a bus stop, officials said. Watson allegedly claimed he had just been released from prison for killing someone, grabbed her wrist, and suggested he could “make money by being her pimp,” adding that he was not afraid to hit her. She broke free, and Watson ran down an alley.
That evening, at 9:09 p.m., another woman noticed Watson following her as she walked home in the 10200 block of South Wood. Fearing an attack, she fled, and Watson gave chase until a man intervened and sheltered her in his apartment, prosecutors said. Watson is charged with a misdemeanor assault charge in this incident.
Less than 20 minutes later, at 9:28 p.m. in the 9900 block of South Wood, a woman and her daughter were walking when Watson began following them, mumbling, prosecutors said. They told him to leave them alone, but he allegedly grabbed the mother by the waist and buttocks.
Watson walked away when the daughter called 911, but it wasn’t over.
Prosecutors said the mother told her daughter to run home, and Watson chased the daughter down Beverly Glen Parkway. He caught up, grabbed her buttocks over her clothes, and fled, prosecutors said. Both victims returned home and contacted police. Their ages were not disclosed.
The final incident occurred at 10:20 p.m. on June 23 in the 9500 block of South Ashland. A woman waiting alone for a bus was approached by Watson, who told her she was pretty and insisted she go home with him, the state’s proffer said. When she refused, he allegedly pushed her against a wall, groped her breasts, and held her to prevent escape. Watson then moved her to the bus stop bench, placed her on his lap, and rubbed between her legs, prosecutors said.
For about 10 minutes, the woman, whose phone was dead, tried to get passing motorists to stop as Watson restrained her at the bus stop, according to the allegations. Nobody helped until two men walking by intervened and escorted her to another bus stop. They waited with her until the bus arrived, and she took it home and called 911 from there.
Watson is charged with four counts of aggravated battery in a public place, three counts of criminal sexual abuse by force, one count of attempted criminal sexual abuse by force, two counts of unlawful restraint, and misdemeanor assault.
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