Chicago, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A homeless man who sexually assaulted an Orland Park senior citizen who was trying to help him find shelter has pled guilty and been sentenced to 30 years in prison in connection with the attack, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Dennis Dodson, 36, pled guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault today in the September, 2011 attack which occurred in a vacant area behind a Home Depot store in Orland Park where Dodson was living at the time.
According to prosecutors, on September 22, 2011, the 83-year-old victim was walking home, using a path behind the Home Depot as a shortcut when she encountered Dodson. Believing Dodson was homeless, the victim gave him $5 and continued home. Once home, the victim gathered a few items, including food and more money, and returned to the location behind Home Depot. The victim gave Dodson an additional $10 and some crackers to eat. She then told Dodson she was going to call around to local shelters to try to get some help for him. The victim contacted her church and a social service agency and was directed to contact the Orland Park Police, which she did the next day.
On September 23, 2011, after contacting the Orland Park Police Department to get assistance for Dodson, the victim returned to the location behind the Home Depot to inform Dodson that she contacted the police to assist him. When she found Dodson, he was lying on the ground and there were several beer cans around him. When the victim told Dodson the police were going to come by to assist him, he became agitated and grabbed the victim by the shoulders and shoved her to the ground. Dodson began kissing the victim while she screamed for him to stop. He then put a hand over her mouth and performed a sex act on her. Dodson released the victim and rode away on his bike. The victim crawled through the fence and went home and called police.
Dodson was located a short time later by police and identified by the victim.
Dodson pled guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault and was sentenced to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by Judge John Hynes.
State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Clarissa Palermo and the Orland Park Police Department for their work on this case.
