Registered Sex Offender Charged With Assaulting 6-Year-Old

Patrick McGovern, 33 | Cook County Sheriff

Tinley Park, IL -- An Oak Forest registered sex offender is charged with preying on a 6-year-old girl while visiting over the weekend in Tinley Park, prosecutors said Tuesday in court.

Patrick McGovern, 33, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a Class X felony charge of predatory criminal sexual assault. McGovern also has a pending charge from April 19 for misdemeanor battery and resisting a peace officer.

According to the charges, McGovern was visiting friends on April 30 in an apartment complex in the 7500 block of West 159th Street, Tinley Park.

Sometime between 2 p.m. and 4:40 p.m., the prosecutor said that McGovern found himself lying on the couch with a 6-year-old girl. McGovern allegedly lifted up the child’s nightgown and inserted his finger inside her.

The prosecutor said that the child cried out that he was hurting her and told him to stop. She went to bathroom, where she experienced pain and blood discharge while urinating.

The girl immediately told adults what had happened. She was taken to Palos Community Hospital, and was later interviewed by a staff member from the Children’s Advocacy Center.

The assistant public defender told the judge that McGovern lives in Oak Forest and is employed as a line operator. She asked for a medical order at Cermak Hospital because McGovern said he had a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday for blood clots in his legs.

“I’m not a doctor,” Judge Felice said. “Let the sheriff handle it.”

The judge set bail at $1.5 million for the new charge, and $50,000 bail for violation of bail bond. Judge Felice ordered McGovern to not have any contact with the child or her family, or any person under 18 should he bond out. He is also to wear a GPS tracker and stay away from “any social environment for children.”

According to the Illinois Sex Offender Registry, McGovern, of the 5000 block of 158th Street, Oak Forest, was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of criminal sexual assault. His victim was 15 and McGovern was 19 at the time of the offense.

McGovern’s next court appearance is May 27 in Bridgeview.