Man sexually assaulted teen at 31st Street Beach: prosecutors

Jacquez Williams (Chicago Police Department, Yelp)

CHICAGO — Prosecutors have charged a 31-year-old Chicago man with sexually assaulting a teenage girl after meeting her at 31st Street Beach and offering her a ride home. Jacquez Williams, 31, was jailed as a public safety risk by Judge Charles Beach during a detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

The 17-year-old girl was hanging out with friends at the beach on May 5, 2023, when Williams struck up a conversation and put his phone number in her phone, prosecutors told the judge. He eventually offered the girl, who had been drinking, a ride home, and she accepted the offer.

The girl tried to sit in the front when they arrived at Williams’ red Chevy Equinox in the beach parking lot. But Williams told her to sit in the back and then pushed her into the back seat, prosecutors alleged in a detention petition. After getting her into the back seat, Williams closed the door and tried to remove the girl’s shorts, but she fought him off, the petition said.

Williams eventually overpowered the girl, removed her lower clothing, and sexually assaulted her as she screamed for him to stop and tried to push him off, according to the allegations.

She eventually got out of the car and returned to the beach area, where she immediately reported the assault to a friend, the petition said. That friend and the victim later identified Williams in a photo line-up.

The victim sought treatment at Comer Children’s Hospital, where a sexual assault evidence kit was collected.

Williams is charged with criminal sexual assault by force and criminal sexual abuse.

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