A convicted sex offender, David Buckner, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies, including aggravated criminal sexual abuse and aggravated battery in a public place. Buckner, 40, had a history of molesting women on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and downtown streets.
In 2017, Buckner faced charges for molesting four women on the CTA, where he reportedly admitted to possibly molesting around 75 women on the transit system in just two months. Despite being found not guilty due to insanity, he was ordered to register as a sex offender.
Despite numerous incidents and arrests in 2022, Buckner kept being released back onto the streets. He faced accusations from multiple women, including incidents on the Magnificent Mile and at the Roosevelt CTA station. Even while on bail for these allegations, he allegedly assaulted an 18-year-old woman on the Loyola campus.
After further investigation, officials identified four more victims and charged Buckner with five felonies. These incidents included grabbing a woman’s buttocks on an escalator, inappropriate touching near Randolph and State, and assaulting a female employee at a store on Michigan Avenue.
One of the most disturbing incidents involved Buckner pleasuring himself on a CTA platform in front of two women, then proceeding to ejaculate on one of the victim’s buttocks and leggings. The victim reported the incident to the police, leading to DNA tests on her leggings and footage from CTA cameras capturing the incident.
In 2017, Buckner faced felony charges for groping and grabbing multiple women on the CTA, with prosecutors alleging that he admitted to molesting approximately 75 women during that time. He was ordered into a state-run treatment center after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2019.
Despite multiple misdemeanor charges for battery and disorderly conduct in the Loop prior to the felony charges, Buckner’s cases were dropped by prosecutors. The reasons for these dismissals remain unclear.
This detailed account of David Buckner’s criminal history highlights the failures in the justice system that allowed a repeat offender to continue victimizing women. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of accountability and protection for survivors of sexual assault.
