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Rev. Alejandro Flores Police photo
A priest accused of child sexual assault told a fellow priest he got drunk on tequila at the child's home one night and he woke up to find the boy's penis in his mouth and the boy's hand on his penis.
That was one of the pieces of information prosecutors presented in court today during a bond hearing for Rev. Alejandro Flores of Shorewood.
Prosecutors said Flores made that statement to a priest while he was in the hospital recovering from an attempted suicide attempt.
Flores jumped from a church balcony in Joliet on January 6, several days after he learned he was being investigated for abuse.
Flores looked healthy as he appeared in Kane County court today. There were no obvious physical injuries from the head trauma he suffered during the suicide attempt.
Prosecutors said Flores is the victim's godfather. The child, now 13, told investigators and his mother that the abuse began in 2005 when he was nine and lasted up until January of this year. The mother's boyfriend also said he saw what appeared to be sexual activity between the child and Flores on two occasions. according to prosecutors.
Flores said the sexual contact with the boy occurred 3 months ago after the child's mother gave him tequila to drink during a visit and he fell asleep. When asked if Flores was implying that it was the child who assaulted him on that occasion, Assistant State's Attorney Debra Bree said she could only comment on what Flores said.
Flores was represented by attorney Glenn Sowa who says Flores intends to plead not guilty to the charges. Sowa said a group of parishioners hired him to represent Flores but he could not say which parish the group is from.
Flores most recently was a Vicar at Holy Family Church in Shorewood. He was a seminarian at St. Mary's in West Chicago when the abuse began. He was ordained a priest 2008.
Bond was set a $1 million when charges were first filed while Flores was in the hospital. Bond was kept at $1 million today.
Sowa did not know if the same people who paid him to represent Flores might also come up with the $100,000 Flores will need to post bond.
Here are the charges against Flores.
- one count of predatory criminal sexual assault (Class X felony)
- two counts of criminal sexual assault, (Class 1 felony)
- four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse ( Class 2 felony)
A conviction on all those counts carries a maximum 67 year prison term. His next appearance in court is February 10.
Previous stories:
Priest who tried to kill himself charged with predatory sexual assault of a child
Priest critically hurt in possible suicide attempt under investigation for sex abuse
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