Serial Groper Charged With Sexual Abuse Over Assaults On Women: Police

CHICAGO — A restaurant manager accused of groping multiple woman from behind while riding a motorized scooter around downtown Chicago has been charged with criminal sexual abuse following his arrest last week.

Victor Manuel-Reyes, of the 1300 block of West 19th Street, Chicago, has been charged in connection with multiple groping incidents, according to police and prosecutors.

Manuel-Reyes, 36, was arrested Friday at the restaurant he manages in the 500 block of East Illinois Street in the Streeterville neighborhood, authorities said.

Prosecutors have so far approved three counts of criminal sexual abuse and four counts of aggravated battery in a public place stemming. The seven felony charges stem from four incidents on two dates, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

Manuel-Reyes is accused of grabbing a woman under her pants as she walked her dog in the 400 block of West Lake Street on May 11, prosecutors said Sunday at his initial court hearing. That woman posted about the incident on social media.

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On Aug. 4, he's accused of groping at least three women in the 1100 block of South State Street, the 1600 block of South Blue Island Avenue and the 1200 block of South Michigan Avenue.

Police issued a community alert on Aug. 6 containing images of the suspect captured from surveillance.

Though he has only been charged over two incidents, area residents believe he is responsible for many additional assaults.

A Block Club Chicago report published Aug. 9 detailed how residents had been posting their own wanted posters and collecting their own photos of the serial groping suspect. He has not been charged in connection with another reported groping June 1, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

One man who gave chase said the Onewheel-riding predator tried to intimidate him before escaping into a commercial building on Illinois Street a few blocks from the restaurant where Manuel-Reyes works near Navy Pier, according to Block Club.

Following the release of the community alert, a former co-worker of Manuel-Reyes at the restaurant recognized him and contacted police, authorities said.

Two women he is accused of assaulting also identified him from surveillance footage, according to prosecutors. Manuel-Reyes also identified himself in surveillance videos from some of the attacks.

Officers taking him into custody found a Onewheel scooter and helmet that match the suspect's at the restaurant, according to prosecutors.

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Anthony Garcia told Circuit Judge Susana Ortiz said Manuel-Reyes confessed after his arrest to groping three women, the Chicago Tribune reported, telling investigators he said they were wearing "something hot and short. Something the women looked good in."

Ortiz ordered Manuel-Reyes held at Cook County Jail unless he can come up with $4,000 cash prior to his next court appearance Wednesday.