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	Priest Who Jumped from Balcony Charged with Sex Abuse By Kim Janssen Chicago Sun-Times January 20, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/2002763,priest-alejandro-flores-charged-sex-abuse-012110.article A priest who jumped from a 20-foot balcony after he was accused of molesting a west suburban boy has been charged with seven felony counts of sexual abuse. Rev. Alejandro Flores, 37, of Shorewood, is accused of preying on the St. Charles boy over the last five years. He jumped from the balcony of a shuttered church in Joliet, suffering serious head injuries Jan. 6 as detectives were driving to interview him about the alleged abuse. Bishop J. Peter Sartain characterized it as a suicide attempt. Joliet Police arrested Flores on a $1 million warrant Wednesday following his release from hospital, and took him to the Kane County Jail. Flores is due to make his first appearance before a Kane County judge Thursday, charged with one count of predatory criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault, and four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Kane County State’s Attorney John Barsanti said Flores was a seminarian assigned to his victim’s church, St. Mary’s Parish in West Chicago, when the abuse began. The boy was under 13 at the time. Bishop Sartain alerted prosecutors of the allegations Jan. 4, after the boy’s family contacted the church. Flores was ordained a priest in June, but was removed from his post at Holy Family Church in Shorewood when the allegations first surfaced, the bishop said. If convicted of all counts, he could be sentenced to up to 67 years behind bars.
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