DuPage County State's Attorney's Office Solves 22-Year Old Cold Case Through DNA
Alberto Gomez of Florence Arizona is currently being held on a $5 million bond with 10% to apply after being charged with Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, three counts of Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, and Criminal Sexual Abuse.
“THE IDENTIFICATION OF A MAN SUSPECTED IN A MORE THAN TWO-DECADE-OLD SEXUAL ASSAULT SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT IN DUPAGE COUNTY, WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON A CASE OR A VICTIM,” BERLIN SAID. “WHILE A CASE THIS OLD MAY HAVE GONE COLD, IT REMAINED ACTIVE, AND I COMMEND THE WEST CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EFFORTS THAT ALLOWED US TO CHARGE MR. GOMEZ WITH THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A DEFENSELESS WOMAN.”
WEST CHICAGO - DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury announced today that bond has been set for an Arizona man charged with the 2001 sexual assault of a woman at a West Chicago apartment complex. Alberto Gomez, 51 (d.o.b. 6/19/1972) of Florence, Arizona, appeared at a bond hearing on July 12, 2023, where Judge Daniel Guerin set his bond at $5 million with 10% to apply. Gomez is charged with three counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault (Class X Felony), three counts of Criminal Sexual Assault (Class 1 Felony), one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 2 Felony) and one count of Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 4 Felony).
In late 2022, the West Chicago Police Department learned of a DNA hit from a sexual assault kit collected from a November, 2001 sexual assault at a West Chicago apartment complex. It is alleged that the DNA swabs recovered from the victim following the assault were found to be consistent with Gomez’s DNA, which was submitted after Gomez was detained for illegal re-entry into the United States. It is further alleged that on November 25, 2001, the victim was alone in her apartment when she awoke to a man, later identified as Gomez, standing in her bedroom. It is alleged that Gomez pushed the victim down on the bed, put his hand over her mouth, struck her multiple times and then sexually assaulted her. It is further alleged that Gomez then fled the apartment at which time the victim immediately contacted the West Chicago Police Department. Gomez allegedly lived in the West Chicago/Warrenville area at the time of the assault.
“The identification of a man suspected in a more than two-decade-old sexual assault sends the message that in DuPage County, we will never give up on a case or a victim,” Berlin said. “While a case this old may have gone cold, it remained active, and I commend the West Chicago Police Department for their efforts that allowed us to charge Mr. Gomez with the sexual assault of a defenseless woman. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorney Grace Barsanti for her work in securing charges against the defendant.”
“I want to thank Detective Dan Herbert for his professionalism and determination in investigating this case,” Fleury said. “Our detectives will follow the evidence and every available lead to bring a case to a conclusion. I also thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his office for their ongoing commitment to public safety.”
Gomez has been in federal custody since his arrest on the illegal re-entry charges last November. He was transferred to the DuPage County Jail last week where he currently remains. Anyone with information regarding this case or Mr. Gomez is asked to contact the West Chicago Police Department at (630) 293-2222. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 16, 2023, for status in front of Judge Guerin.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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