A suburban teenager charged with forcing a woman at gunpoint to a secluded area and sexually assaulting her was held in lieu of $300,000 Thursday.
Yaki Lee Jr., 17, of Palos Hills, is charged with kidnapping and sexual assault.
“We had evidence from one of the victim’s phones that was trying to be activated. And that led us to this particular individual,” said Palos Hills Police Chief Paul Madigan.
Police say a search warrant executed at Lee’s home Wednesday yielded the victim’s purse and clothing allegedly taken from her after the assault.
But his family and attorney says he’s innocent.
“He has never committed a crime,” Frank Edwards, Lee’s lawyer said. “He’s a good student, good son and his family is absolutely sure that he’s innocent and that this is a case of mistaken identity.”
Police say they are relying heavily on DNA and forensic evidence that is being held up by a testing backlog.
