Jailed: Ex-Channahon Gymnastics Coach, Former Mexican Olympian

CHANNAHON, IL - A 68-year-old gymnastics coach who was the subject of a lengthy investigate article produced by Chicago's WTTW television station was arrested Monday night by the Channahon Police Department. The defendant, Jose Vilchis, now faces a total of eight sex crimes in Will County and his bail was set at $3 million, jail logs show.

On Tuesday morning, the Will County State's Attorney's Office issued a follow up press release to announce the filing of criminal charges of criminal sexual assault and aggravated sexual abuse against the former gymnastics coach who trained young girls in Channahon.

Authorities said that the charges allege that Vilchis performed acts of digital and oral sex on a minor who was between the ages of 13 and 17.

"He is alleged to have performed these acts while he was coaching the young girl at I&M Gymnastics in Channahon between Dec. 1, 2012 and Dec. 1, 2013. Channahon Police took Vilchis into custody on Monday at the Walmart store where he works on Jefferson Street in Joliet," the State's Attorney's Office announced.

As conditions of his $3 million bail, Vilchis, who holds citizenship status in both Russia and Mexico, would have to surrender his passport and avoid all contact with the victim and with minors, authorities said. In addition, should he post bond the defendant would have to be placed on a GPS tracking device.

The investigation is ongoing. Channahon Police ask anyone with information that might assist in their investigation to contact (815) 467-2112, prosecutors said.

In April, WTTW published a lengthy expose headlined, "Gymnastics Coach Accused of Sexual Abuse Remained At Chicago-Area Gyms for Decades." The television report revealed that the Channahon Police Department were first contacted about Vilchis in 2014 and again in 2017.

When one gymnast was 13, the I&M coach always found an excuse to touch her private areas, she told Chicago Tonight. The allegations against Vilchis centered around the I&M Gymnastics facility in Channahon.

“He would squeeze my butt. He would touch my chest area,” the teenager told Chicago Tonight, according to its investigative report. “He would just try many, many things. And I didn’t know what to do. I was quiet. I didn’t know that things were happening with other girls. We all kept it from each other because we were so scared.”

Chicago Tonight also reported how Channahon's Police Department did not realize that the USA Gymnastics had investigated Vilchis for sexual abuse and banned him from their organization.

You can read the entire news article from WTTW about Jose Vilchis.

Terrible Tuesdays: Will County Jail Blotter Oct. 16

Mugshot of Jose Vilchis via Will County Sheriff