City of Wheaton, IL
Court Grants Motion to Deny Pre-trial Release for Man Charged with Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Wheaton Chief of Police P.J. Youker announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Wheaton man charged with sexually assaulting a woman at home and in his car last month. Abel Rosales Ventura, 29 (d.o.b. 11/28/1996) of the 1300 block of N. Main Street, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with three counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, a Class X Felony.
On June 21, 2026, at approximately 3:25 p.m., the victim in this matter disclosed to a Wheaton police officer conducting an unrelated traffic stop that she had been allegedly hit by her friend, later identified as Rosales Ventura. After speaking with the woman, officers with the Wheaton Police Department escorted her to Rosales Ventura’s apartment to pick up her six-year-old son and then to a local hospital for medical attention, where she disclosed to hospital personnel that she had allegedly also been sexually assaulted.
Through the course of their investigation into the matter, authorities learned that between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., on June 20, 2026, the victim arrived at Rosales Ventura’s apartment. It is alleged that at some point in time, Rosales Ventura threw the victim on the bed, tried to block her nose and mouth, and grabbed her by the neck, causing her to lose consciousness. It is alleged that the woman’s six-year-old son was in the apartment at the time. It is further alleged the woman regained consciousness and that at approximately 4:00 a.m., Rosales Ventura, the woman and her son went to Rosales Ventura’s car. It is alleged that once in the car, Rosales Ventura took her cell phone away from her and sexually assaulted her while the six-year-old boy was in the back of the car. It is further alleged that Rosales Ventura fled Illinois and was ultimately located in Morristown, Tennessee.
On June 23, 2026, DuPage County Judge Robert Walsh issued an arrest warrant with no geographical limitations for Rosales Ventura. On June 25, 2026, officers with the Morristown Police Department located Rosales Ventura in a trailer park where he was taken into custody on the previously issued arrest warrant. Rosales Ventura has remained in custody in Tennessee since then and, after waiving extradition, was transported to the DuPage County Jail by the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.
“The apprehension of the defendant in this case is the first step in achieving justice and sends a crystal-clear message that in DuPage County, anyone who commits such a horrendous crime, as alleged in this case, cannot flee responsibility and will be captured, charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Berlin said. “I commend the survivor in this case for having the courage to come forward and for her cooperation throughout the investigation and I wish her strength as she contends with the physical and psychological trauma she has endured.
"I applaud the Wheaton Police Department for their fine police work that led to the apprehension of the defendant in this case and for the care and compassion they showed to the survivor. I extend a special thank you to the Morristown Police Department, the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick’s office for their professionalism and cooperation in the apprehension of the defendant which allowed for his return to DuPage County to face the charges against him. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorney Jaclyn McAndrew for her work in securing charges against Mr. Rosales Ventura.”
“You can run, you can hide, but we will find you and deliver you to the justice of the courts,” Youker said. “This case began with a simple request for assistance from a patrol officer but quickly evolved into a complex aggravated criminal sexual assault investigation. When it was learned Mr. Ventura had fled the state, our investigators leveraged our vast network of local, state, and federal resources to track him, locate and arrest him.
“Bringing Mr. Ventura back to DuPage County to face his alleged crimes would not have been possible without the expertise and tenacity of my department’s detectives and our close law enforcement partnerships with State’s Attorney’s Robert Berlin’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sheriff James Mendrick’s Office. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of the Morristown Police Department and the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office for teaming up with us and apprehending Mr. Ventura. We hope the victim and her child can find some comfort knowing Mr. Ventura has been detained by the courts.”
Rosales Ventura’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 27, 2026, in front of Judge Brian Telander.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
