A Palatine man is facing a serious felony charge after being accused of sexually abusing a woman, Cook County officials reported. The man, identified as Juan Ramirez-Perez, 40, was charged with criminal sexual abuse, a Class 4 felony, involving force. He allegedly made unwanted sexual contact with a 26-year-old woman inside her own home.

According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, the incident occurred early Saturday morning when Sheriff’s Police were dispatched to an address in the 1200 block of Long Valley Drive. The victim informed the detectives that she did not consent to the touch, and Ramirez-Perez threatened her into silence by claiming he knew her place of employment. The accused then reportedly exited the scene through the kitchen window.

The investigation further revealed, from a male witness sharing the residence, that Ramirez-Perez was an overnight guest who spent the previous night sleeping in the bathtub. The witness provided a photo of Ramirez-Perez to law enforcement and also led them to his residence. Following this lead, the Sheriff's Police took Ramirez-Perez into custody without incident.

Following these developments, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office sanctioned one count of Criminal Sexual Abuse with Force against Ramirez-Perez. "At approximately 6:56 a.m. on Saturday, March 9, Sheriff’s Police responded to a call," Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced. In the case's most recent update, a judge ordered Ramirez-Perez held in custody at the Cook County Jail, awaiting his next court hearing scheduled for March 12.