A convicted child sex offender and his sister were arrested after allegedly assaulting a Chicago police officer who issued them a ticket for obstructing an ambulance at an emergency scene in McKinley Park on Tuesday night. Prosecutors stated that the injured officer will be unable to consume solid foods for several months.
Officer Kevin Mangan was one of the officers responding to an incident in the 3700 block of South Marshfield Avenue, where paramedics were assisting a patient. According to prosecutors, 30-year-old Monica Mejia parked her vehicle directly behind a squad car, blocking it and preventing the ambulance from leaving.
Mejia, along with her 33-year-old brother, Michael Sopher, and two other individuals, exited the vehicle and left the scene. Mangan approached to issue a ticket for blocking the ambulance.
Mejia then returned and began arguing with Mangan, allegedly blocking her vehicle’s ID number to prevent him from issuing the ticket. Mangan and his colleagues initially returned to their squad cars to depart.
However, Mejia reportedly continued her confrontation, slamming her hands against Mangan’s squad car window, prompting him to reengage. When Mejia placed her hand in Mangan’s face, he pushed it away, leading to her striking his hand and hitting the left side of his body, prosecutors said. When another officer attempted to intervene, Mejia allegedly tried to strike them and repeatedly grabbed for the second officer’s radio strap.
Sopher then entered the altercation, grabbing Mangan and punching him multiple times in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. Sopher allegedly climbed on top of Mangan and continued the assault, resulting in several of Mangan’s teeth being knocked out or loosened. Officers removed Sopher from Mangan and discovered brass knuckles in his hoodie pocket, prosecutors revealed.
Mangan was subsequently taken to Stroger Hospital for care.
Prosecutors disclosed that Sopher was convicted in Indiana in 2021 for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. He failed to comply with the sex offender registration law despite being ordered to do so on May 6. Additionally, he was convicted in 2023 for not adhering to sex offender registration requirements and for three burglaries in 2021.
Mejia had prior convictions for aggravated battery against a peace officer in 2022 and misdemeanor resisting arrest in 2023, according to prosecutors.
Sopher faces charges of aggravated battery to a peace officer causing great bodily harm, felon in possession of a weapon, and repeated violation of sex offender registration. Mejia is charged with two counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer and misdemeanor criminal damage to property.
Judge James Murphy III ordered both individuals to be detained.
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