Man, 73, Sexually Assaulted Boys Younger Than 13: Cops

MATTESON, IL — A 73-year-old man is accused of sexually assaulting multiple boys and taking explicit photos of them over a five-year period, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Joseph Minarik, of the 600 block of Tanglewood Road in unincorporated Matteson, was charged with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, two counts of manufacturing child pornography and two counts of child pornography possession in connection with three victims, who were younger than 13 at the time of the assaults. He was ordered held without bail this week.

According to the sheriff's office, detectives began investigating Minarik when family members of one of the victims contacted the law enforcement agency July 22 after finding graphic photos of the boy on Minarik's camera. A later search of Minarik's home revealed devices that housed child pornography, which included explicit images of two victims, the sheriff's office said.

Over the course of the investigation, detectives discovered that Minarik allegedly had sexual contact with multiple victims at his home between 2012 and 2017. He also allegedly took explicit photographs of several of his victims, according to the sheriff's office.

Minarik was taken into custoday Monday, Nov. 6, and he was charged Tuesday, Nov. 7. His next court date is Nov. 27.

Anyone with additional information concerning Minarik should call the detectives at the Cook County Sheriff's Office at 708-865-4896.

Joseph Minarik, 73 (Photo via Cook County Sheriff's Office)