Sex Abuse Suspect Arrested at Green Oaks Home, Accused of Drug Possession, Sexual Abuse of North Carolina Teen Girl

A 15-year-old child from North Carolina was rescued by Lake County Sheriff’s detectives from a suspected sex abuser in Green Oaks (northeast of Libertyville) on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The United States Marshals Service informed the Chicago Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office that a missing 15-year-old girl from North Carolina was believed to be in the Chicagoland area. Law enforcement officers immediately worked together to investigate and plan the rescue of the girl when the United States Marshals Service received information on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 that a missing 15-year-old girl from Kannapolis, North Carolina, might be located at a house in the block of 31000 Prairie Ridge Road, Green Oaks.

Members of HSI, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, and Sheriff’s Special Investigations Group conducted an immediate investigation. The investigation produced evidence showing the girl was indeed located at the above residence. Wednesday, July 24, 2024, a search warrant was obtained for the residence.

Detectives set up surveillance at the home, and at approximately 4:00 p.m., Andrew W. Szech, 43, of the above residence was seen leaving the home with the teen female victim. Detectives apprehended Szech and rescued the victim.

Further investigation revealed that Szech began communicating with the victim online in June 2024. Szech encouraged the victim to take a bus from her home to Chicago in early July, and Szech picked her up from the Chicago bus station and took her to his home in Green Oaks, where he sexually abused the victim.

A search warrant was conducted at Szech’s home where detectives recovered:

One firearm

Over 2,700 grams of cannabis

Nearly 30 grams of psilocybin laced candy

Over 55 grams of psilocybin mushrooms

27 cannabis plants

Over 55 Adderall pills

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office Children’s Advocacy Center assisted in the investigation. After reviewing the facts and circumstances of the case, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the following charges against Szech:

Three Counts of Criminal Sexual Abuse (class 1 felonies)

Unlawful Possession of Psilocybin Mushrooms with Intent to Deliver (class 1 felony)

Unlawful Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Deliver (class 1 felony)

Unlawful Possession of Cannabis (class 2 felony)

Unlawful Possession of Adderall with Intent to Deliver (class 2 felony)

Aggravated Battery (class 3 felony)

Unlawful Possession of Cannabis Plants (class 3 felony)

Two Counts of Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (class 4 felonies)

Reckless Conduct (class A misdemeanor)

Aggravated Assault (class A misdemeanor)

Additional charges are expected.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Szech in custody while awaiting trial. Szech remains held in the Lake County Jail pending an initial court hearing this morning.

The victim is safely away from her abuser and has been placed in care, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff John D. Idleburg said, “There is not much worse than exploiting a vulnerable child. We will go to all lengths to rescue children and victims from trafficking and sexual abuse. I am so thankful this child is safe and can begin to receive the assistance and help she needs to begin healing from this terrible situation. I am thankful for the strong collaboration our Office has with our federal and local partners, which led to this rescue and prosecution.”

All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

— Lake County Sheriff’s Office

Szech has an extensive criminal history, and traffic history including a charge of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm that allegedly occurred last year on June 29, 2023. According to court records, a relative posted bond of $30,000 on July 22, 2023. Therefore, Andrew. W. Szech was charged with new crimes, including Criminal Sexual Abuse, while out on bail for the gun-related charges described below. Many of the traffic-related charges were abandoned by the prosecution, according to court records.

Heavily armed law enforcement officers were on the scene as they served a warrant at a home in Green Oaks near Libertyville, rescued a 15-year-old girl from the home, and arrested an adult male accused of sexual abuse of the girl, and drug possession (Andrew Ramos/CBS Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ

Lake County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a Andrew W. Szech in connection with a shots fired incident last year. On June 29, 2023 sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of property damage to a home in the block of 31000 Prairie Ridge Road in Green Oaks. Sheriff’s deputies determined at that time the home had been struck by gunfire. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies spoke to several area neighbors and collected video surveillance evidence from the neighborhood.

Sheriff’s detectives analyzed the video and determined Andrew W. Szech, then 42, of the block of 31000 Prairie Ridge Road shot several times at a group of people nearby. Several members of the community told detectives they suspected Szech of being involved in suspicious activity, as they witnessed numerous vehicles coming to his home, interacting with Szech for a short period of time, then leaving the area.

Sheriff’s detectives spoke to Szech, who claimed he was robbed during the June 29th incident, although he never reported the robbery and there was a lack of evidence to support the claim. Szech also declined to mention he fired a firearm during the incident. Sheriff’s detectives did not arrest Szech at the time he was first interviewed, as their investigation was still ongoing.

Sheriff’s detectives believe Szech fired at a group of three people he was interacting with, following a disagreement. On July 21, 2023, sheriff’s deputies and detectives observed Szech driving and conducted a traffic stop, as they knew his driver’s license was revoked. Szech was arrested and transported to the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division. The June 29th incident was reviewed with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office who approved the following charges:

Reckless Discharge of a Firearm (Class 4 Felony)

Aggravated Driving With a Revoked Driver’s License (Class 4 Felony)

Sheriff’s detectives submitted a Clear and Present Danger form to the Illinois State Police regarding Szech’s firearm recklessness.

Szech was held in the Lake County Jail on $300,000.00 bail, until a relative posted bond ($30,000) on July 24, 2024, and then he was free while awaiting trial. His last court date last year (before the new charges this week) was July 26, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. for a Pretrial Release Revocation Hearing.

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