Victim alleges DeKalb man ‘asked for a hug’ before sexual assault

DeKALB – A DeKalb man was charged this month with criminal sexual assault dating back to August after the victim alleged that the man “asked for a hug” and then assaulted them, court records show.

Reynaldo A. Torres, 68, was charged May 20 with criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse, according to DeKalb County court records. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Police said the assault occurred Aug. 23 and was reported Aug. 29, according to court records.

The victim alleged that Torres assaulted them while they were staying at a friend’s house after they got out of the shower, police wrote in May 20 court filings. The victim alleged that Torres “asked [them] for a hug,” then he started tickling them. The victim said they told Torres to stop, and then he assaulted them, police said.

Torres was released May 21 pending trial by Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick, records show.

Buick’s ruling prohibits Torres from contacting the victim. The ruling was over prosecutors’ objections after the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to deny Torres release May 21, records show.

Torres is expected to be arraigned on his charges at 9:45 a.m. July 2 in front of Buick, records show. He is represented by defense attorney William Weeden of the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office.