Painter Charged With Fondling Girl While Working

A painting contractor was arrested after he allegedly fondled a child while working at her home in LaGrange, prosecutors said in court on Wednesday.

Nelson Perez, 40, appeared before Associate Judge John Hynes for on bond hearing on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Prosecutors said that Perez was working at the home on August 3 around 3:10 p.m, had been following the young girl who lived there around the residence commenting on her looks. According to the charges, Perez got the girl alone in a room, where he began fondling her hips, breasts and genital area over her clothes. Eventually he pulled down the girl’s shirt where he exposed her breast and kissed it.

Prosecutors said that when the girl tried to leave the room, prosecutors said that Perez blocked the doorway and continued touching her private areas over her clothes before kissing her twice on the lips.

After the alleged encounter, the girl told her family who immediately contacted the LaGrange Police Department. Prosecutors did not give the girl’s specific age in court, but said that she was under 18.

Perez reportedly presented an unmarked passport from Ecuador at the police station give his age as 40 years old. Prosecutors said that fingerprints from prior arrest indicated that he was born in Mexico.

According to court records, Perez had a past arrest for giving false information for a driver’s license.

The assistant public defender told Judge Hynes that Perez was married and the father of two young children. She also gave his age as 36 years old.

Bail was set at $150,000, with ten percent to apply. Judge Hynes also ordered that Perez to have no contact with the girl or her family, or unlawful contact with children under 18. He is also to surrender his passport.

Perez is due back in court on August 27 in Bridgeview.