A 37-year-old Middle Village man has been convicted, in absentia, for sexually abusing and endangering the welfare of a child, after he touched an 11-year-old girl as she walked to school in Elmhurst last June.
District Attorney Brown said, “A child walking to school in broad daylight should never have to worry about a stranger approaching and touching her inappropriately. A jury weighed the evidence and found the defendant guilty of violating this young victim”.
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jose Para, 37, of 83rd Place in Middle
A jury found him guilty of first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child after a week-long trial, but Para fled the Courthouse before the reading of the verdict and remains at large.
A bench warrant has been issued for Para and authorities are asking anyone with information about his whereabaouts to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-8477.
When sentenced, Para faces up to seven years in prison.
The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. on June 23, 2016, when Para approached the then-11-year-old girl as she walked on Albion Avenue. He began talking to the girl, whom he did not know, as she walked to school and asked her several questions, including what was her name and age, where she lived and what school she attended. The victim answered providing her age and stating that she attended a nearby middle school. The defendant then began to comment on her shirt and grabbed her right breast. The victim ran away from the defendant and told officials about the stranger touching her as soon as she reached the school.
