A 31-year-old Country Club Hills man already facing aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping charges from last year was back in court Friday after DNA evidence connected him to two additional attacks and a teenage girl identified him in a third attempted assault.
Cook County prosecutors didn’t give many details about the pending case against 31-year-old Justin Drones.
But court and police records show that Drones allegedly sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint in an alley on the South Side in 2018.
Drones pleaded not guilty to the charges in September and is currently being held at the Cook County Jail while he awaits trial.
In announcing additional aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual assault and attempted criminal sexual assault charges Friday, prosecutors said Drones was involved in three other similar incidents.
On Feb. 13, 2017, Drones approached a 23-year-old woman while she was waiting at a bus stop and ordered her into his car at knifepoint, prosecutors said. He then took the woman to an alley where he allegedly sexually assaulted her. The woman was able to remember part of Drones’ car’s license plate and provided a description of the vehicle, which matched a car registered to Drones, prosecutors said.
Then on Nov. 25, Drones approached a 16-year-old girl who was waiting at a bus stop near 111th Street and Halsted and offered her a ride, prosecutors said. The girl got into Drones’ car, but instead of taking her home, Drones allegedly took her to an alley where he sexually assaulted her at knifepoint.
The woman and the girl went to hospitals after the attacks and evidence collected then later matched Drones’ DNA profile, prosecutors said. Both victims also identified Drones in a photo array, prosecutors said.
On July 30, 2018 Drones approached a 15-year-old girl and offered her a ride, prosecutors said. The girl accepted and after he took her to an alley, Drones allegedly tried to sexually assault her while holding her at knifepoint. In this instance, the victim was able to kick Drones in his chest and escape, prosecutors said. That girl also identified Drones in a photo array.
An assistant public defender said Drones had served in the Navy and was honorably discharged. He had been was working full-time for People’s Gas before he was arrested last year, the assistant public defender said.
Judge David Navarro ordered Drones held without bail on the new charges.
