Sept. 27--A 27-year-old man has been ordered held in lieu of $500,000 bail Sunday after being charged with criminal sexual abuse after allegedly grabbing a woman on CTA property in the Lincoln Park neighborhood last week, police said.
Xavier Rodriguez, 27, of the 1200 block of West 32nd Street in the city's Bridgeport neighborhood, has been charged with criminal sexual abuse with force, according to a statement from police News Affairs.
Rodriguez appeared before Judge James Brown who set the bail during a hearing Sunday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Court building.
Rodriguez was identified as the man who grabbed a 22-year-old woman from behind and sexually abused her in the 900 block of West Fullerton Avenue Thursday at 3:40 a.m., according to the statement.
According to prosecutors, Rodriguez followed the victim onto a Red Line train, tried to penetrate her with his hands through her clothes. She resisted and fled.
CTA Video captured this and victim identified him in photo array. Rodriguez has three prior misdemeanor convictions, one for trespassing and one for in 2008 for battery, according to prosecutors.
His defense attorney said he lived with his grandfather and works at a temp agency. He didn't say anything in court and had his hands behind his back before the judge.
Rodriguez fled the scene when the victim screamed for help during the incident, which took place at the Fullerton station, police said. The victim declined medical attention.
