Three children playing near a pavilion at Diane Main Park in Westmont heard moaning coming from a nearby bench Sunday afternoon, then watched as a 66-year-old man invited them over to look at his phone. What they allegedly saw led them to walk away and call police, setting off a case that has landed the man in court on felony child exploitation charges.
Justano Rios, who lives on the 100 block of West 63rd Street in Westmont, is accused of showing pornographic material to three juveniles ages 12, 13 and 14 at the park on Sunday, according to Shaw Local. The children were near the park pavilion when they heard moaning noises coming from the bench where Rios sat watching his phone, prosecutors said, per the same report. When the kids asked what he was doing, Rios allegedly told them he was watching something and invited them to watch along, according to Shaw Local.
What Police Say Happened at the Bench
Westmont police responded to Diane Main Park around 4:25 p.m. Sunday, according to ABC7 Chicago, though Patch reported officers were called to the park around 4:30 p.m. after a report that a man had shown pornographic videos to children. Patch also reported that Rios is accused of touching what appeared to be his sex organ over his pants while the pornographic video played on his phone. After showing the children what was on the screen, the kids left the area and contacted police, per the account in Shaw Local's reporting.
Rios was taken into custody following the encounter. He allegedly gave officers a fake name and repeatedly gave them different ages and dates of birth before he was arrested, according to Shaw Local. That alleged deception led to one of the misdemeanor charges he now faces.
Charges and Court Conditions
The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office charged Rios with one felony count of sexual exploitation of a child, along with misdemeanor counts including two additional counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of distributing harmful material to a minor and one count of obstructing identification, Shaw Local reported. Rios made his first appearance in court on Monday and was released from custody with conditions barring any contact with anyone under 18 and barring him from entering park facilities, according to the outlet's reporting. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 23.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin described the allegations as extremely disturbing and commended the children for reporting the incident, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Berlin also thanked Westmont police for their response to the scene, per the station's report.
Police Chief Praises Kids' Quick Thinking
Westmont Police Chief Brian Gruen praised the children for their quick thinking in alerting authorities, FOX 32 Chicago reported. Gruen said public parks should be safe for families and children without fear of illicit or predatory behavior, according to the same report. The case remains pending as Rios awaits his next hearing next month.
