Blue Line sex attacker found guilty but mentally ill, gets 9 years

Court records indicate that a man, accused of assaulting two women on separate occasions aboard Blue Line trains, has been found guilty but mentally ill and sentenced to prison.

On Thursday, Cook County Judge James Obbish declared 37-year-old Lorenzo Jones guilty but mentally ill, sentencing him to nine years in prison for attempted criminal sexual assault. Additionally, Obbish sentenced Jones to concurrent two-year prison terms for aggravated battery of a transit passenger and aggravated battery in a public place, in two related cases.

The initial incident took place in May 2023 on a Blue Line train headed towards O’Hare, near the Irving Park station.

According to prosecutors, Jones was already on the train when a woman boarded. She soon noticed Jones engaging in a lewd act while looking at her.

Jones then approached the woman, stating, “You need to s*** my d***,” as per prosecutors’ accounts.

The woman refused, responding, “Absolutely not.”

In response, Jones allegedly punched her in the face.

He then threatened, “You need to s*** my d*** or I’ll hit you again.”

Despite the threat, the woman refused again, prompting Jones to punch her once more, prosecutors said. When she attempted to escape, Jones pushed her back into her seat, prevented her from leaving the train car, and struck her a third time.

As the train stopped at a station, the woman called for help and reported Jones to two security officers on the platform. However, due to confusion at the scene, she left before police could arrive, according to prosecutors.

The following evening, Jones was on another Blue Line train when a woman boarded at the Chicago station.

Prosecutors stated that as the train became less crowded, Jones sat across from the woman and began making comments about her legs and private parts. He then reached towards her private area, but she pushed him away.

Jones allegedly threatened, “You better gimme that p**** or I’ll f*** you up.”

Prosecutors reported that Jones charged at the woman and made two additional attempts to grab her private area, but she successfully defended herself each time. The woman exited the train at Belmont and contacted the police.

Both attacks were captured by CTA surveillance cameras, according to prosecutors.

Jones has a criminal history that includes nine felony convictions, with past offenses such as a 2017 conviction for aggravated discharge of a firearm and five convictions for aggravated battery of a peace officer, prosecutors stated.