Dec 31, 2008 11:48 am US/Central
Chicago Firefighter Accused Of Child Sex Abuse
Jose Moreno Accused Of Abusing 3 Children Under Age 10
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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Chicago firefighter Jose Moreno is accused of child sexual abuse.
Chicago Police
A Chicago firefighter could face life in prison after being charged with sexually assaulting three children, ages 3 to 6, who were tenants in a building he owned in the Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side.
Jose Moreno, 48, of the 2500 block of South Millard Avenue was ordered held without bond Wednesday after being charged with three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin.
According to court documents, Moreno is the landlord of the South Millard building and the godfather of one of the alleged victims, a 6-year-old boy. The other alleged victims were a 3-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy. Moreno looked after the children three or four days a week for three to four hours at a time, Conklin said, citing court records.
Kendall Marlowe of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, which is also investigating, said the children are not related to Moreno, though he did serve in a caregiver role. The children remain in the care of their families, he said.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions between Feb. 1 and Dec. 11, Moreno had oral sex with the girl and inserted foreign objects into her vagina. He also allegedly had oral and anal sex with the boys.
On some occasions, he would hang the children from pegs on his wall and sexually assault them, Conklin said, citing court records. The children were sometimes assaulted while the others watched, according to court records, and were able to describe the assaults to police.
After the alleged assaults were reported to DCFS on Dec. 11 and to police on Dec. 12, a search was conducted of Moreno's home, and police found children's underwear, wall pegs, holes in the wall for the pegs to be placed, photos of children in sexually suggestive positions and photos of dolls simulating sex acts, sometimes with Moreno, court records allege.
Moreno allegedly told officers he found girls under 12 sexually attractive and fantasized about them, Conklin said, citing court records. He allegedly said he created the child pornography by finding adult porn and adding the faces of children. He also allegedly said he would masturbate on the children's underwear found in his home.
Moreno, who has no criminal background according to police and had not been previously investigated by DCFS according to Marlowe, allegedly described the 3-year-old as a "pretty girl with a pretty face," according to court records.
Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford confirmed Moreno has been a Chicago firefighter since 2005, but did not know where in the city he works. "The department is saddened that such charges are necessary. We will cooperate completely in any way we can with the Chicago Police Department as the process develops," Langford said.
Langford pointed out that the accused is one of two Jose Morenos who are Chicago firefighters. The other, Capt. Jose Moreno, is a South Sider in his 50s who has not been charged with any criminal activity. Langford noted the captain has been besieged by comments and inquiries by some who mistakenly think he is the man charged with sexual assaults.
The Fire Department's internal affairs office has the authority to charge a member should they deem it necessary, according to Langford.
Moreno's next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 21 in Violence Court (Br. 66) at 26th and California, Conklin said. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Marlowe said DCFS would coordinate its investigation of abuse and neglect with police and prosecutors, but while law enforcement's focus would be on the suspect, his agency's focus would be on the protection of the children.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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