Joliet Man Who Sleeps Nude Denies Sexual Assault Of Girl: Police

JOLIET, IL — Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius has ruled against the Will County State's Attorney's Office in their effort to deny pretrial release for 41-year-old Cora Street resident Luis Buendia, who has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual abuse and two counts of domestic battery.

Joliet police booked Buendia into the Will County Jail on the morning of Feb. 24. Over the lunch hour the next day, Buendia emerged from the jail, regaining his freedom while he awaits his eventual trial at the Will County Courthouse.

According to the prosecutor's complaint, Joliet police were called to the 900 block of Cora Street on Feb. 24 after a 15-year-old girl indicated she was asleep in her bedroom when Buendia woke her, and he was touching her upper body and breasts.

Buendia was naked at the time, prosecutors noted.

During the first encounter, Buendia stepped out of her bedroom as she began to wake up; he returned a second time and asked if she wanted to see something and that is when he started touching her stomach area and breasts again, prosecutors indicated.

"The defendant was touching himself while he was touching her," the petition to deny pretrial release informed the judge.

The 15-year-old girl told Buendia to leave her alone, and he left, returning later to give her $200 for not saying anything, the prosecution noted. Finally, Buendia returned a fourth time and gave her another $200 and asked her to not tell anyone what just happened. The prosecution indicated the victim had a photo of Buendia standing naked in her doorway.

"He was touching my chest (over my shirt) he tried four times and was also asking me not to tell and gave me money," the victim wrote in her statement for Joliet police.

As for Buendia, he denied anything had happened and that he was asleep the entire time. The girl had been staying at the house on Cora Street for about three weeks, court files show.

As for the night in question, Buendia "admitted to drinking about 18 beers the night of the incident," prosecutors noted. "He claims to have never left his bedroom after going to sleep around 2 or 3 a.m. He indicated he sleeps nude ... He continually said if the police said he did it then justice should be done."

As for Cornelius' ruling to let Buendia out of the jail, the judge pointed out that "conditions exist that mitigate the danger posed defendant." Buendia was ordered to have no contact with the 15-year-old girl and the address in the 900 block of Joliet's Cora Street.

He was placed on electronic monitoring and "defendant not to consume alcohol," Judge Cornelius ruled.