Parolee Caught in Disturbing Act with 14-Year-Old Girl, Prosecutors Allege
CHICAGO — In a shocking turn of events, prosecutors have made disturbing allegations against Julio Rodriguez, a man on parole for child pornography. It is claimed that a parole agent visiting Rodriguez’s residence found him pleasuring himself with his pants down while on a video call with a 14-year-old girl.
Rodriguez, 30, has been detained as a safety threat and for a parole violation warrant by Judge Antara Rivera.
Records show that Rodriguez was previously charged with a 20-count child pornography indictment in 2022. Despite pleading guilty to a single count on August 16 and being sentenced to three years by Judge Michael Clancy, Rodriguez spent no time in prison after receiving the state’s standard sentence reduction and credit for time spent on an ankle monitor. He was released from Stateville Correctional Center on August 20.
Last Thursday, December 5, a parole agent visited Rodriguez’s halfway house in the 8100 block of South Cottage Grove as he had allegedly failed to report his living arrangements as instructed.
Upon entering Rodriguez’s room, the agent discovered him engaged in a sex act with his pants down, holding his phone. Prosecutors claim that Rodriguez dropped the phone on his mattress, revealing that he was on a video call with a “young female.” Although the girl ended the call, the agent managed to see her screen name.
Rodriguez initially claimed that the person on the phone was his “girlfriend,” but later confessed that she was only 14 years old. Investigators found over 100 illegal images and 40 videos of children on his phone, which he had failed to register with authorities as required by his parole agreement.
Additionally, prosecutors stated that Rodriguez had undisclosed social media apps on his phone, including accounts for YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Discord, and Reddit. They also found two apparently illegal images on the phone that Rodriguez had disclosed to officials.
During an interview with a Chicago police detective, Rodriguez admitted to engaging in explicit sexual conversations with girls between the ages of 14 and 16 on Discord and a specific website. Investigators recovered chat messages between Rodriguez and the 14-year-old girl, where he made inappropriate comments and requests.
As a result of these allegations, Rodriguez faces charges of possession of child pornography, violating the terms of the sex offender registry, and indecent solicitation of a child via the internet.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, who recently took office, has vowed to seek detention for individuals accused of possessing or producing child pornography. Under the previous administration of Kim Foxx, detention was sought in 75% of child pornography cases, with judges granting 72% of those requests.
When Rodriguez was initially charged in 2022, prosecutors did not request that he be held without bail, according to court records.
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