Man Charged In Oak Lawn and Bridgeview Sex Assaults

Bridgeview — A man is accused of sexually assaulting two women in Oak Lawn and Bridgeview. Max Mandes, 26, of Bridgeview, appeared before Cook County Judge Donald Havis on felony charges of criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual assault with a firearm. Mandes was arrested July 4.

During the afternoon of Dec. 1, 2018, Mandes asked to speak to a female acquaintance. He went to her residence in the 6700 block of 88th Place in Oak Lawn. He forced the woman on her back and proceeded to sexually assault her, the prosecutor said. When Mandes abruptly stopped the alleged assault, the woman escaped. The next day she went to Palos Community Hospital where a sex assault kit was administered.

Bridgeview police went to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where a woman was seeking a sex assault kit. The woman said she made a date with Mandes on the dating app Badoo, the prosecutor said. She agreed to pick Mandes up for dinner on June 29. When she went to his apartment in the 8300 block of South 78th Avenue, Mandes invited her inside, according to the charges. Mandes invited her inside, where the prosecutor said Mandes regaled her with tales of his criminal lifestyle. The woman was disturbed by the stories and told Mandes she wanted to leave.

Mandes allegedly pointed a shotgun at the woman and forced her to ingest cocaine. The prosecutor said Mandes told the woman that she needed to "stay awake for your adventure." Mandes sexually assaulted the woman vaginally and anally, court records said.

Mandes' attorney told the judge that her client was a graduate of Oak Lawn Community High School. He works as a part-time union carpenter. The attorney said that Mandes' father and brother were in court.

"He vehemently denies the allegations," the attorney said.

"He's a danger to society," Havis said.

The judge ordered Mandes to be held without bail. Mandes is due back in court July 31 in Bridgeview.