Crime & Safety
Sex Offender Found Living Less a Block Away from a School
Perez, convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse with an 11-year-old victim, was living less than 500 feet away from Farragut Elementary School, Joliet police said.
A Joliet sex offender who told police he was living out of his car when, in fact, he'd moved into an apartment less than a block away from an elementary school was arrested Wednesday, Joliet police said.
Sex offenders are required to notify local police departments of where they are living and, if they are transient, they must report in every six months, Capt. Les O'Connor said.
In the case of James E. Perez, 59, he had reported several times that he was homeless and living out of his car when, apparently, at some point he had moved into an apartment at 613 Buell Ave., O'Connor said.
The location is a less than 500 feet away from Farragut Elementary School at 701 Glenwood Ave.
Police officers make a habit of trying to keep an eye on sex offenders and knew what Perez's car looked like, O'Connor said. When one officer noted Perez's vehicle was frequently parked on Buell, an investigation was conducted.
Perez was picked up and admitted under questioning that he did live at the Buell address, O'Connor said. He also had a key to the apartment, which provided further evidence, he said.
Perez was charged with three felonies: sex offender giving false information, child sexual predator residing within 500 feet of a school and sex offender failing to register a new address. He is being held in the Will County jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
According to the Illinois Department of Corrections sex offenders list, Perez was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a victim under the age of 13. The details of the case were not provided but he is classified as a sexual predator, and it is noted that he was 48 years old at the time of the crime and his victim 11.
In the case of James E. Perez, 59, he had reported several times that he was homeless and living out of his car when, apparently, at some point he had moved into an apartment at 613 Buell Ave., O'Connor said.
The location is a less than 500 feet away from Farragut Elementary School at 701 Glenwood Ave.
Police officers make a habit of trying to keep an eye on sex offenders and knew what Perez's car looked like, O'Connor said. When one officer noted Perez's vehicle was frequently parked on Buell, an investigation was conducted.
Perez was picked up and admitted under questioning that he did live at the Buell address, O'Connor said. He also had a key to the apartment, which provided further evidence, he said.
Perez was charged with three felonies: sex offender giving false information, child sexual predator residing within 500 feet of a school and sex offender failing to register a new address. He is being held in the Will County jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
According to the Illinois Department of Corrections sex offenders list, Perez was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a victim under the age of 13. The details of the case were not provided but he is classified as a sexual predator, and it is noted that he was 48 years old at the time of the crime and his victim 11.
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