Man charged with sexually abusing woman in Rookery Building elevator

A man charged with sexually abusing a woman he followed into an elevator Saturday at a historic Loop office building has been denied bail on felony charges.

Robert Skipper, 29, of the West Pullman neighborhood, appeared Monday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on charges of criminal sexual abuse, attempted criminal sexual assault and unlawful restraint, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

About 1:57 p.m. Saturday, the 28-year-old woman used her keycard to take an elevator at the Rookery Building, 209 S. LaSalle St., and was followed into the elevator by Skipper, prosecutors said. Skipper and the woman were the only people in the elevator when the doors closed and he pushed her against a wall.

Skipper put his hand under her clothes, pushed the woman to the floor and held her down, prosecutors said. The woman was able to push the alarm button in the elevator. When the doors opened, Skipper ran out of the building.

He was found about 30 minutes later and identified by the woman and a second witness who saw him run from the building, prosecutors said.

While in custody, Skipper admitted to groping the woman and trying to sexually assault her, prosecutors said. When he was identified by the woman, he saw her and said “That’s her, that’s the one I got, I stalk my prey.” Skipper told investigators he had planned to do more to her, but that she was too strong. He also said he had planned to kill someone, but groped the woman instead.

About a half hour before, a woman reported that someone matching Skipper’s description had followed her for several blocks and touched her buttocks, prosecutors said. That woman also identified Skipper, but he had not been charged in the case. Skipper is also a suspect in a third case that is still under investigation.

Judge Stephanie Miller denied Skipper bail.