Ear Hustle

DNA Leads To Arrest Of Chicago Man Who Sexual Abused A Woman On CTA

Michael Robinson

DNA evidence links an Oak Lawn man with a lengthy criminal history to the sexual abuse of a woman who was riding on a CTA Red Line train in 2012, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.

Michael Robinson, 31, of the 4300 block of West 95th Place, was also charged in a similar incident with a woman on a Blue Line train last May,  prosecutors charged.

Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Robinson held on $400,000 bail on 11 felony counts including aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery in a public place and attempted robbery.

Semen recovered from the coat and backpack of the 2012 victim matched Robinson’s DNA, said Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen Rogers. That victim, 28, was riding the Red Line home from nursing school in January 2012 at about 7:30 p.m. when Robinson, the only other passenger in that car, boxed her in so she couldn’t move. He exposed himself and sexually abused her, Rogers said. He also allegedly demanded her cellphone and cash.

The woman immediately reported the incident, and police took her coat and backpack as evidence.

Prosecutors did not say why it took so long for the Illinois State Police Crime Lab to complete its testing, but the lab has a backlog of DNA cases.

In the May incident, the 26-year-old woman was riding a Blue Line train at 3:30 p.m. when Robinson, again the only other passenger on the car, exposed himself and sexually abused her, Rogers said.

The woman called 911 and reported what happened, she said, and the incident was captured on a CTA surveillance camera.

Robinson was held on Tuesday by CTA security after he was identified from CTA fliers, police said. He was arrested in the 500 block of South Pulaski Road.

He has eight felony convictions for attempted aggravated robbery, retail theft, burglary and possession of a controlled substance, Rogers said. He was also convicted of four misdemeanor charges including public indecency in 2010, she said.

Source: Chicago Tribune

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