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Man Rapes 14-Year-Old Girl As She Walks Home Alone, Prosecutors Say

 Montez Lee, 33, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault.
Montez Lee, 33, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault.
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DNAinfo; Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Prosecutors have charged an Indiana man in the brutal 2014 rape of a 14-year-old girl who was walking home alone from a friend's house.

Montez Lee, 33, is accused of grabbing the teen in a chokehold, dragging her into an alley and raping her at gunpoint — before stealing the girl's clothes and forcing her to walk down the street naked, Assistant State's Attorney Barry Quinn said during a bond hearing Thursday.

The assault happened about 8:30 p.m. March 19, 2014 in South Deering.

Lee was arrested this week after his DNA proved a positive match to DNA evidence collected on the scene, Quinn said. Lee was taken into custody inside the Cook County Jail, where he's awaiting trial for a residential burglary case.

According to Quinn, Lee spotted the girl walking alone about 8:30 that evening and pulled over his car. He got out and walked past the girl, Quinn said, before turning around and grabbing her in a chokehold. When the girl screamed, Lee pulled a gun, authorities said.

He then dragged the teen into an alley in the 10100 block of South Crandon Avenue, eventually stopping in the backyard of an abandoned house, prosecutors said.

Lee raped the girl, Quinn said, before stuffing her clothing into her backpack and demanding she walk naked in the opposite direction as Lee headed back to his car. According to Quinn, Lee was armed with a gun during the entire attack.

The girl ran back to her friend's house in the 10100 block of South Vlissingen Road, and was immediately taken to a hospital, prosecutors said.

Lee was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault with a firearm.

When he was arrested Wednesday, he admitted to attacking the girl, Quinn said.

Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. on Thursday ordered Lee held in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

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