St. Charles Sun
March 18, 2010
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/stcharlessun/news/2110210,Flores-priest-bond-reduction-denied_SCN031810.article
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| The Rev. Alejandro Flores |
A Kane County judge Thursday denied a request to reduce bail for the Rev. Alejandro Flores, who is charged with the sexual abuse of a Kane County boy.
Flores has been held at the Kane County jail since Jan. 20 with bail set at $1 million.
Flores asked to have his bail reduced so he could attend St. Luke's Institute, an addiction and psychological treatment facility in Silver Spring, Md., Kane County prosecutors said. Prosecutors argued that Flores should remain in custody in Kane County.
In refusing to reduce the bail, Judge Jordan T. Gallagher said he was concerned because Flores is not a U.S. citizen -- he is from Bolivia and has been in the U.S. since 2004 on a religious work visa -- and because Flores has no family in the U.S. Gallagher said he would not go so far as to call him a flight risk, however, prosecutors said.
The bond reduction hearing actually began Wednesday, but was continued to Thursday after Flores apparently fainted in the courtroom.
Flores was charged in January with one count of predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony, two counts of criminal sexual assault, each a Class 1 felony, and four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, each a Class 2 felony.
Authorities have charged that between Jan. 1, 2005, and Jan. 1, 2010, Flores had sexual contact with a St. Charles minor who was younger than age 13 when the alleged sexual contact began.
At the time of his arrest, Flores was serving as a priest at Holy Family Church in Shorewood.
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