Former School Bus Driver Faces More Sex Abuse Charges

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A 57-year-old Waukegan man faces more sex abuse charges after a second woman has come forward claiming she was sexually assaulted by him as a child.

Richard Villanueva was initially charged in August with four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault with a victim under the age of 13 and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Those charges stem from an initial report made to police from a woman who says Villanueva sexually assaulted her over several years more than a decade ago, according to prosecutors.

On Thursday, prosecutors filed four additional aggravated criminal sexual abuse charges against Villanueva. Those charges are related to a second woman who came forward to police. She told authorities she also was abused for several years as a child.

Villanueva is a former school bus driver for a school district in Waukegan. None of the reported assaults were "connected to his job," authorities said.

Villanueva did know both of the women he is accused of sexually abusing and the acts "were not random," according to a news release from the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

“Our prosecutors are working hard to learn the truth about the scope of this defendant’s crimes. We encourage any additional victims of Mr. Villanueva to come forward to the Waukegan Police Department. Our prosecutors will review the case, and our professional victim advocates will support you,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.