A missing 15-year-old girl is safe after she was rescued from an Illinois man’s home who is now facing multiple felony charges for allegedly sexually abusing her.
Andrew Szech, 43, allegedly encouraged the unidentified teenage girl to take a bus from where she lived in Kannapolis, North Carolina, to Chicago in early July. The pair had been talking online since June, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
Once the teen arrived at the Chicago bus station, Szech picked her up and brought her to his home where he allegedly sexually abused her. On Thursday, the United States Marshals Service received a tip she was possibly at Szech’s home. Officials witnessed Szech leaving his house with the victim and took him into custody.
Covelli said the victim is safe away from her abuser and has been placed in care.
Multiple agencies obtained a search warrant for Szech’s house and detectives recovered a firearm, over 2,700 grams of cannabis, nearly 30 grams of psilocybin-laced candy, over 55 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 27 cannabis plants, and over 55 Adderall pills.
Szech has been charged with:
- Three counts of criminal sexual abuse
- Unlawful possession of psilocybin mushrooms with intent to deliver
- Unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver
- Unlawful possession of cannabis
- Unlawful possession of Adderall with intent to deliver
- Aggravated battery
- Unlawful possession of cannabis plants
- Two counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm
- Reckless conduct and aggravated assault
Additional charges are expected. Szech has a detention hearing scheduled for Friday to determine whether he will be detained the entire time the case is pending.
“The cash bail system was dangerous for the community in this case,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart told Newsweek in a statement. “In July 2023, before the effective date of the SAFE-T Act, this offender posted $30,000 on a weapon case – that is now detainable under the SAFE-T Act. After posting cash in 2023, he has been charged with incredibly serious sex cases and a second weapon offense.”
“… After his detention status is determined, our Special Victims’ Unit and victim support specialists will hold this offender accountable, further isolate him from the community, and support the victim in the short term and long term.”
Meanwhile, in Howell County, Missouri, a quick-thinking business owner saved a 2-year-old girl from being abducted by her father on Thursday, who was said to be “possibly intoxicated and has made suicidal statements.”
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