Photographer met baby at social gathering, later traveled to McHenry County and allegedly sexually abused them in park

A Chicago man and photographer is accused of assembly a toddler via his employment at a celebration and later touring to McHenry County the place prosecutors say he sexually abused the juvenile in a park.

Milton Espino-Mejia, 25, of Chicago, was charged with aggravated legal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony, and touring to satisfy a minor, a Class 3 felony.

Prosecutors mentioned in courtroom that Espino-Mejia met a juvenile via his employment as a photographer after attending a celebration the place he was working.

Espino-Mejia allegedly traveled from Chicago to satisfy and choose up the kid on Friday, prosecutors mentioned.

The two traveled to a public park in Harvard the place Espino-Mejia allegedly sexually abused the minor, prosecutors mentioned.

Officers from the Harvard Police Department encountered Espino-Mejia and the kid on the park.

Prosecutors mentioned Espino-Mejia admitted to officers in the course of the investigation that he had engaged in sexual conduct with the minor.

Further particulars on the case have been unknown because the courtroom case paperwork have been utterly sealed from the general public in an uncommon transfer, which was accredited by a decide.

“Adults who gain access to minors through their employment have an absolute responsibility to respect the boundaries the law establishes to protect children,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese mentioned.

“When those boundaries are allegedly exploited for sexual purposes, our office will act aggressively to protect minors and hold offenders accountable. We commend the responding officers from the Harvard Police Department for their vigilance and intervention in this case,” Freese mentioned.

Espino-Mejia appeared in Initial Appearance Court on Saturday and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him pending trial, arguing he poses a hazard to the group.

McHenry County Judge Mark Facchini granted the petition to detain and remanded Espino-Mejia to the McHenry County Jail.

Espino-Mejia is scheduled to seem in courtroom once more on October 6 for a preliminary listening to.