Youth Group Leader Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Teenage Girl in Chicago
A youth group leader has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenager girl in the group at her home earlier this month in Chicago, Illinois.
After Michael Rivera, 22, drove the victim and her 13-year-old nephew back home after a youth group meeting, Rivera came inside and played video games with the boy, said Assistant State's Attorney Latoya Croswell, according to The Chicago Sun Times. The youth group was connected to CityLights Church, a police report stated.
When the girl decided to go to sleep, Rivera followed her to her room and forced her to fondle him, claimed Croswell, who added that the girl's mother and sister were already asleep.
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After the girl's nephew got suspicious and went to the bedroom, he saw Rivera zipping up his pants. The man left the room and resumed playing video games again with the 13-year-old boy.
According to Croswell, later Rivera left the room again and reportedly made the girl perform oral sex on him. The nephew followed him and reportedly saw the man zipping up his pants again. The boy photographed Rivera's semen on the bed and showed the photo to his mother and grandmother, whom he woke up after Rivera left.
After the girl's mother and sister confronted her, she told them what happened.
A public defender representing Rivera argued that the sexual acts were consensual and that the girl was close in age to Rivera.
Rivera was arrested on Wednesday and as of Friday, is being held on $50,000 bail. The church pastor has also been informed.
