Joliet Rape Defendant Faces Camaro Forfeiture

JOLIET, IL - A 22-year-0ld Joliet man who lives in the 1100 block of Nicholson Street faces two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in connection with a sexual assault that happened early Nov. 2 in Joliet Township, according to court records. Additionally, the Will County State's Attorney's Office of James Glasgow filed a forfeiture complaint to seize the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro of defendant Cesar Adrian Munoz.

According to the Will County Sheriff's Office investigation, a deputy and detective were called early last month to a house on Shorie Avenue in Joliet Township surrounding a missing female juvenile who had been the victim of a reported sexual assault.

Eventually, police located the girl at a house belonging to Enrique Casimiro Vieyra and Munoz was also there, court documents note

Munoz and the other man were given Miranda Warnings in Spanish and both signed documents that allowed sheriff's police to search their electronic media devices, court records state.

They were later taken to the Will County Sheriff's Office for questioning.

The forfeiture complaint indicates that Munoz made the following statements to a sergeant from Will County's Sheriff's Office:

• He knew the girl to be 16 years old and an area high school student.
• He met her at a fiesta about four months prior.
• He got a Facebook message from her on Nov. 1 asking him to pick her up from school.
• He drove the Camaro to the McDonald's in Crest Hill.
• From there, they visited Munoz's house on Nicholson Street. Later they went to his friend's place on Shorie Avenue. A "young, talll white girl" was also with them.
• The 16-year-old told Munoz that her mother locked her out of her house and "beat her in the back with a cable" for "having a sexual intercourse with a male over the age of eighteen," court documents note.

"During this time, Munoz stated he could get into trouble for being with underage girls ... (she) stated that she wanted to stay and have sex. As a result, (she) and Munoz engaged in sexual intercourse on the floor of the bedroom while Vieyra and the young tall white girl watched," the forfeiture complaint states. "The act was recorded on Vieyra's cell phone."

Around 1 a.m., the other girl got a ride home after calling her grandmother to pick her up, court records state, and "Munoz requested that she not call the police ... The remaining three returned to the bedroom and fell asleep. Munoz stated that the next thing he remembered was waking up to police knocking on the door."

Court records note that the 16-year-old girl Munoz is accused of sexually abusing was taken to Silver Cross Hospital for a sexual assault evaluation.

The forfeiture complaint states that Munoz's 2015 Chevy Camaro should be seized by the State's Attorney's Office and given to another police agency because "Cesar Munoz, with the knowledge and or the consent of said captioned vehicle, did use same in connection with the offense of Criminal Sexual Assault."

At the time of his Nov. 2 arrest, Munoz's bail was set at $500,000. He subsequently hired criminal defense lawyer Cosmo Tedone. The downtown Joliet lawyer recently filed a motion for a bond reduction, and last week Munoz's bail was reduced to $100,000.

On Thursday, Munoz came up with $10,000 cash to get out of the Will County jail.

Court records indicate that Munoz's case was assigned to Courtroom 404, which is the courtroom of veteran Will County Circuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak.

His Camaro forfeiture hearing is set for Jan. 9 in front of a different judge.

Mugshot of Cesar Munoz via Will County Sheriff's Office