Prosecutors say a Mexican national who worked at a shopping center in Mundelein sexually assaulted a developmentally disabled woman in a vacant store while she was on her lunch break.
Ivan Crisostomo-Alcantar, 35, whose town of residence is unknown, was charged with one count of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony, and one count of criminal sexual abuse, a Class 4 felony.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Sean Danehey said Crisostomo-Alcantar works as a cleaner and trash attendant in the Mundelein Crossings shopping center on Route 60 in Mundelein.
The shopping center includes several stores, including Target, TJ Maxx and Home Goods, The Home Depot, Jimano’s Pizzeria and Pet Supplies Plus.
The victim, a woman in her 20s who has a significant mental delay, works at a store in the center and was on her lunch break on May 20, Danehey said.
She reported seeing Crisostomo-Alcantar and he unlocked a storefront that was formerly a Workout Anytime gym next to Jimano’s Pizzeria.
Danehey said the woman went inside because she was curious what was now inside the building.
Crisostomo-Alcantar went inside the building with the victim and then pushed her onto a table, Danehey said.
He forcibly removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her, Danehey said. She put her clothes back on and went back to work.
The victim disclosed what happened to her manager and then to her father, who reported it to the Mundelein Police Department.
The woman was taken to the hospital and had a sexual assault exam performed, Danehey said. The kit was sent to the crime lab for analysis.
Police interviewed Crisostomo-Alcantar last month and he reported he had spoken with the victim a few times prior to May 20.
Crisostomo-Alcantar said that he could tell the victim was “slow” and he admitted to going into the vacant building with the woman, Danehey said.
He said they had consensual sex after the victim instigated physical contact by kissing him and he went along with it, Danehey said.
Danehey said Crisostomo-Alcantar made a comment that having sex with the victim may have been wrong because of her mental state.
Psychological assessments place the victim at approximately an 11-year-old’s level of mental ability.
The charges were filed against Crisostomo-Alcantar after his interview with police last month.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Crisostomo-Alcantar pending trial, which was granted by Lake County Judge James Newman during a detention hearing.
“He is not only a risk to the victim but he is a risk to other members of society that would also be vulnerable people subject to being easily preyed upon,” Danehey said during the court hearing.
A public defender for Crisostomo-Alcantar said his client has been in the United States for approximately 13 years.
Crisostomo-Alcantar was previously removed from the United States in 2013 for illegally entering the country and sent back to Mexico.
A grand jury has indicted Crisostomo-Alcantar on the charges and he is set to be arraigned on them on August 6.