A 52-year-old man is charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy at knifepoint inside Marquette Park. Prosecutors said the boy quickly alerted family members, who chased the man down and held him until police arrived.
In a detention petition, prosecutors said the boy was in the 3100 block of West Mann Drive around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, August 9, when Alfredo Mejia approached him, pulled out a small knife, and ordered him into some bushes.
Once there, Mejia allegedly threatened to stab the boy if he didn’t remove his shorts. Prosecutors said Mejia then sexually assaulted the teen.
The victim found an opportunity to escape and called out to his mother. She and other relatives rushed to the scene, and the teen immediately pointed out Mejia, prosecutors said. Family members chased Mejia to a nearby gas station, where police officers arrested him a short time later.
Prosecutors said Mejia later admitted to having sex with the teen but claimed it was consensual.
Judge John Hock ordered Mejia detained on a charge of aggravated criminal sexual assault while armed with a weapon, citing the child’s immediate outcry and the “brazen” nature of the allegations.
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