A Mundelein man has been arrested and charged after attempting to solicit a teen into a sex act while driving through a neighborhood in a pickup truck on Friday afternoon, authorities said.
Lake County Sheriff Chief Christopher Covelli said deputies were called to the 26300 block of North Diamond Lake Road near Mundelein at 3 p.m. on April 24 for a report of a person who asked a 14-year-old girl to engage in a sex act.
The victim told deputies she was standing near her home when a pickup truck driven by a man in his 40’s stopped near her, Covelli said.
The man asked the victim if she was 13 or 14 years old, then asked her to help him with something, Covelli said.
The man then requested the girl engage in a sexual act with him.
The girl immediately walked away, went home, and told her parents, Covelli said. The parents then called the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies interviewed the victim and several neighbors, Covelli said. One of the neighbors showed deputies video doorbell footage of the area where a pickup truck was spotted that matched the description of the offending vehicle.
A neighbor also told sheriff’s deputies they may have seen the same vehicle on Shady Lane in Mundelein, Covelli said.
Sheriff’s deputies went to the area and located the vehicle parked in front of a home in the 300 block of Shady Lane, Covelli said.
Homero Sotero-Ocampo, 41, of the 300 block of Shady Lane, was identified as the person driving the vehicle when the incident occurred, Covelli said.
Sheriff’s deputies conducted a “show up,” where the victim positively identified Sotero-Ocampo as the person who solicited her earlier that day.
Sotero-Ocampo was arrested and transported to the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and interviewed by the Sheriff’s Crimes Against Children team.
Following the interview, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a Class 3 felony charge of Indecent Solicitation of a Minor, Covelli said.
During an initial court appearance early Saturday, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Sotero-Ocampo while awaiting trial. That hearing is expected to take place on Monday.
“This incident is a powerful reminder of how important it is to talk with our children about personal safety,” said Sheriff John D. Idleburg. “This young victim showed tremendous awareness, she recognized something was wrong, removed herself from the situation, and told her parents immediately. Her actions, combined with the exceptional work of our deputies and detectives, led to the swift arrest of a dangerous offender.”