GREEN OAKS, IL – 43-year-old Andrew Szech has been arrested after convincing a 15-year-old girl to travel from Kannapolis, North Carolina to Chicago, Illinois and sexually abusing her, according to a news release.
Andrew Szech
The release states that the United States Marshals Service received information that a missing girl was located at a house in Green Oaks, Illinois on Prairie Ridge Road, an hour outside of Chicago.
Evidence obtained from an investigation confirmed that the girl was at the residence and a search warrant was obtained for the residence on July 24, according to Lake County. At 4:00 pm that day, Szech was seen leaving the residence with the victim and detectives apprehended him and rescued the girl.
The search warrant conducted at the residence resulted in the following being recovered:
- One firearm
- Over 2,700 grams of cannabis
- Nearly30 grams of psilocybin laced candy
- Over 55 grams of psilocybin mushrooms
- 27 cannabis plants
- Over 55 Adderall pills
As a result from a continued investigation, detectives say it was revealed Szech contacted the victim online in June and convinced her to take a bus from Kannapolis to Chicago in early July, where Szech brought her to his residence in Green Oaks and sexually abused her.
Szech is being charged with:
- Three counts of criminal sexual abuse (class 1 felonies)
- Unlawful possession of psilocybin mushrooms with intent to deliver (class 1 felony)
- Unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver (class 1 felony)
- Unlawful possession of cannabis (class 2 felony)
- Unlawful possession of Adderall with intent to deliver (class 2 felony)
- Aggravated battery (class 3 felony)
- Unlawful possession of cannabis plants (class 3 felony)
- Two counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm (class 4 felonies)
- Reckless conduct (class A misdemeanor)
- Aggravated assault (class A misdemeanor)
More charges are expected to come.
Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said, “There is not much worse than exploiting a vulnerable child. We will go to all lengths to rescue children and victims from trafficking and sexual abuse. I am so thankful this child is safe and can begin to receive the assistance and help she needs to begin healing from this terrible situation. I am thankful for the strong collaboration our Office has with our federal and local partners, which led to this rescue and prosecution.”
