Man accused of sexually assaulting 14-year-old girl in Christmas attack

A man forced his way into a West Side home on Christmas night, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and threatened to kill her brother, prosecutors said Monday.

Arguing that Bonifacio Montes be held without bail, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said the girl “will now forever associate Christmas” with the attack.

Montes, 28, used a hatch on the roof of the home’s enclosed back porch to gain entry around 8 p.m. Saturday, Murphy said. Armed with a knife, Montes pried open the back door and got into the kitchen.

With each family member in their rooms, Montes walked through the home and pocketed the family’s rent money from the kitchen table before entering the girl’s room and assaulting her as she slept, Murphy said.

The girl screamed for help and her brother confronted Montes outside her room. Montes, holding the knife, allegedly threatened to kill him. The brother put his hand on his hip “as if he had a gun” and said he would shoot Montes, the prosecutor said.

Montes dropped the knife, and the brother charged at Montes. The two began to wrestle before the girl’s other brother and mother helped restrain Montes, according to Murphy.

Montes admitted to sexually assaulting the girl after one of the brother’s questioned what he had done, Murphy said. Officers found Montes detained on the coach after the family called 911.

The girl was taken to a hospital, where she was treated and released.

Montes said he knew the girl from Facebook and she had invited him over, though officers found no evidence of that on her phone or Facebook Messenger app, Murphy said. Also, investigators found damage to a door as well as the hatch in the roof.

Officers found about $2,000 on Montes when he was searched at the station, Murphy said, noting the family’s roughly $1,800 worth of rent was missing from the kitchen table.

Assistant Public Defender Kyle Morrison argued the evidence was largely circumstantial and there wasn’t any video presented that showed Montes breaking into the home. He also said the girl had “plenty of time” to delete any contact she had with Montes before officers arrived.

But Judge Charles Beach noted, “I have the problem with the concept that, if that in fact occurred, why he was armed with a knife to arrive at the home.”

Beach said he believed Montes was a danger to the community. “He broke into this home through a hatch, entered into the home, entered into the victim’s bedroom,” the judge said. “All while being armed. I do believe he is a danger to the community based on those acts alone.”

Beach ordered him held without bond on charges of home invasion and aggravated criminal sexual assault. He is due back in court Jan. 18.