DuPage County Deacon Sexually Assaulted Girl For Many Years: Prosecutors

WHEATON, IL - A deacon at a bible church in Northwest suburban Roselle has been charged with four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child younger than 13 as prosecutors say he assaulted a girl over a period of several years.

Timothy J. Peltz, 51, of Wheaton appeared in DuPage County court Thursday on the charges and was ordered held on $1 million bail, the Chicago Tribune reports. Peltz is accused of sexually assaulting the girl, now 16, for several years. The abuse stopped, but the victim’s mother said Peltz recently attempted to reinitiate contact.

Peltz has served as a deacon at Living Hope Bible Church in Roselle, according to an ABC-7-Chicago report.
Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Lindt said Peltz blamed the victim for the abuse, which began when the girl was younger than four years old, according to a Daily Herald court account.

"The defendant said this is all the victim's fault because she was too affectionate at 3½," Lindt told a judge.

If convicted of all charges, Peltz could spend anywhere from 24 to 120 years in prison.