Woodstock police say Belvidere man sexually assaulted child in his car; judge detains him pretrial

Woodstock police say a Belvidere man sexually assaulted a child in his vehicle during a two-year period, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County.

Jesus Zepeda, 57, of the 500 block of South State Street, is charged with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child younger than 13 years, Class X felonies, as well as aggravated criminal sexual abuse and grooming, according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court. Conviction on Class X felonies could carry sentencing up to 30 years each in prison.

He is accused of sexually assaulting the child in his vehicle and making the child watch “pornographic videos on his cellphone” between Sept. 29, 2021, and Sept. 29, 2023, according to the criminal complaint.

During Zepeda’s initial appearance Saturday, Judge Michael Zasadil ordered Zepeda be detained in county jail pretrial, court records show. Zasadil said he considered Zepeda’s “lack of criminal history” but also considered the “incredibly serious nature of the allegations” against him.

“The proof is evident that [Zepeda] committed a detainable offense,” Zasadil said, adding he did not believe Zepeda posed a threat to the community but is a threat to the alleged victim named in the case, according to the detention order. The judge also noted “allegations of concealment of evidence and allegation that [Zepeda] manipulated a child in order to maintain his secret.”

Zepeda is due in court Thursday.