A Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting a west suburban boy was ordered held on $100,000 bail today. The Rev. Alejandro Flores, 37, of Shorewood, was charged Wednesday with seven felonies for allegedly having sexual contact with the now 13-year-old St. Charles boy between Jan. 1, 2005, and Jan. 1, 2010.
Kane County prosecutors charged at Thursday afternoon's hearing that the sexual contact happened on numerous occasions, both at the boy's home and in Flores' car.
Flores is the child's godfather, prosecutors said. They said the child's mother's boyfriend noticed the sexual activity on two occasions, but no further details have been released.
Flores, who until recently served at Holy Family Church in Shorewood, was arrested Wednesday after being discharged from Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet. He suffered head trauma after an apparent suicide attempt on Jan. 6, when he jumped 20 feet from a balcony at the closed St. Mary's Carmelite Church in Joliet.
While in the hospital, Flores apparently made a statement to another priest about the alleged sexual contact. According to prosecutors, Flores said he visited the boy and his mother three months ago, and the mother gave him tequila. Flores said he woke up to find himself having sexual contact with the boy, contact he says he did not initiate.
Flores' attorney, Glenn Sowa, reportedly was hired by parishioners who believe Flores is innocent, but neither Flores nor Sowa would confirm which church those parishioners attend. Before his assignment in Shorewood, Flores was a seminarian assigned to St. Mary's Church in West Chicago. Prosecutors say he was at that church when the alleged sexual contact began.
Flores said he is not sure whether those parishioners will be able to pay the $100,000 bail levied Thursday.
If convicted on all counts — one of predatory criminal sexual assault, two of criminal sexual assault, and four of aggravated criminal sexual abuse — he could face up to 67 years in prison. He also could face deportation because he is not a natural-born citizen.
Flores is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 10.
"We don't believe he is guilty," Sowa said Thursday, "and we're a long way from knowing that."
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