Elgin Man Flees Bond Before Being Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Child
An Elgin man who failed to appear in court for his trial faces a lengthy prison sentence after he was convicted despite his absence from his trial for sexually assaulting a child he knew.
Mario Piñeda
A Kane County jury on Jan. 16, 2020, found 37-year-old Mario Piñeda guilty of seven counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony, and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony.
Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Matt Rodgers and Lori Schmidt presented evidence during the four-day trial that on multiple occasions in 2016 Piñeda sexually assaulted the victim.
Piñeda knew the victim, who was younger than 13 years old. The victim told her parents about the assaults, and her father made a report to the police.
Petersen set Piñeda’s next court appearance for 1:30 p.m. March 26, 2020, in Courtroom 305 at the Kane County Judicial Center for motions, sentencing and for forfeiture of bond.
Piñeda faces a minimum sentence of 42 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
In addition to the prison term, Piñeda must register for life as a sexual offender in accordance with the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act, if he is found by authorities.
Piñeda had been free on $20,000 bond. He last appeared in court for a Sept. 20, 2019, hearing. He failed to appear for a Jan. 9, 2020, hearing and Kane County Associate Judge Charles E. Petersen issued a warrant for his arrest.
Anyone with information about where Piñeda might be found should call the Kane County Child Advocacy Center at (630) 208-5160.
Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon thanked Rodgers, Schmitdt and the Kane County Child Advocacy Center staff for their work in this case and praised the victim for coming forward.
“I’m proud of this victim for showing the strength to tell her story at her abuser’s trial,” he said. “Her courage towers over that of Mr. Piñeda, who fled like a coward instead of owning up to his selfish crimes.”
SOURCE: Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office news release
