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Suburban Firefighters Accused of Attempted Rape at Mount Greenwood Party

By Emily Morris | June 16, 2013 5:36pm | Updated on June 17, 2013 8:20am
 Marvin W. Buhle, 24, (l.) and Michael Haas, 20, of the Merrionette Park Fire Department, were charged with criminal sexual abuse with force and attempted criminal sexual assault with force.
Marvin W. Buhle, 24, (l.) and Michael Haas, 20, of the Merrionette Park Fire Department, were charged with criminal sexual abuse with force and attempted criminal sexual assault with force.
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Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Two suburban firefighters are accused of trying to rape a woman at a Mount Greenwood party after she passed out early Friday, prosecutors said.

Merrionette Park firefighters Marvin Buhle, 24, and Michael Haas, 20, were each charged with criminal sexual abuse with force and attempted criminal sexual assault with force.

They had been invited to the Far Southwest Side party in the 3900 block of West 109th Street by a fellow firefighter, according to Assistant State's Attorney Bridget O'Brien and police documents.

Also at the home was a woman and her boyfriend who had come from Hawaii to visit friends, O'Brien said.

Sometime during the party, the 22-year-old woman had become sick, and her boyfriend took her to an upstairs bedroom so she could lie down, O'Brien said. He stayed with her until she fell asleep, the prosecutor said.

He left the bedroom door open and returned downstairs, coming back periodically to check on her, O'Brien said.

Haas and Buhle, who both live in Chicago, had just told everyone at the party that they were leaving, and footsteps were heard upstairs soon after, O'Brien said.

The man went to check on his girlfriend again, but this time the door was closed, and Haas was standing in front of it, O'Brien said.

The boyfriend moved past Haas and opened the door to find Buhle with his pants down on top of the unconscious woman, whose pants had been removed, O'Brien said.

The boyfriend screamed, and Buhle and Haas tried to get away, O'Brien said. The man chased after his girlfriend's alleged attackers and was able to hold them until police arrived, according to police documents.

Buhle, of the 3800 block of West 107th Street, was arrested early Friday near the party, according to police documents. 

Haas, 10400 block of South St. Louis Avenue, was arrested on Saturday, according to the documents.

Buhle told officers that he went into the bedroom because the victim had asked him to, and that she had flirted with him earlier, O'Brien said. Buhle told police that the woman had removed her own clothes, and he admitted to touching her genitals, according to O'Brien.

Haas acted as a lookout for Buhle, according to court documents. The woman did not know Buhle or Haas before the party, O'Brien said.

Neither Buhle or Haas has a criminal history, O'Brien said.

Haas' attorney, Sean O'Brien, said Haas had just graduated from paramedic school. After the hearing, he said his client disputes the charges and "looks forward to fighting them in court."

Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered Buhle held on $250,000 bail and Haas on $100,000 bail.

The families of Buhle and Haas declined to comment after the brief hearing.

Officials from the Merrionette Park Fire Department could not be reached for comment.