A Mundelein man has been charged with sexually assaulting a young girl under the age of 13 over the span of several years and also possessing sexually explicit material of the victim.
Mariano Gomez-Atenco, 34, of Mundelein, was charged with three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, child pornography and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Daly said during a bond hearing that Gomez-Atenco would babysit a child while the child’s mother was at work.
The child fell at school recently and was taken to a medical center.
The child told staff that Gomez-Atenco had been sexually assaulting her for approximately nine years.
Daly said the child was as young as four years old when the abuse started.
Gomez-Atenco used a cellphone to record the victim while she was in the shower, Daly said.
The victim detailed numerous occasions where Gomez-Atenco sexually assaulted and abused her despite the girl telling him to stop, Daly said.
Gomez-Atenco reportedly made admissions when speaking with investigators.
The Mundelein Police Department investigated the case and arrested Gomez-Atenco late last month.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Gomez-Atenco held on a $1 million bond.
Gomez-Atenco was also ordered to have no contact with any minors, including the victim.
Gomez-Atenco remains held in the Lake County Jail and would need to post $100,000 cash in order to be released.
A status of attorney hearing is scheduled for Friday.