Round Lake area man charged in indecent solicitation

ROUND LAKE – A Round Lake Heights man faces charges of indecent solicitation of a child after he tried to arrange a meeting for sex with someone he believed was a girl younger than 15, police said.

On Nov. 22, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Group in collaboration with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service concluded an investigation that resulted in the arrest of a man in connection with indecent solicitation of a child, according to a news release.

According to police, during November, Julio Rojas, 61, of the 1800 block of Tomahawk Trail, Round Lake Heights, began communicating online with undercover detectives posing as a girl under the age of 15. During their conversation, Rojas indicated he was in the area on a “business trip” but wanted to meet with the “child” to engage in sexual acts, according to the release.

Rojas agreed to meet the “child” on Nov. 22 at a location in Lake County. When he arrived at the location to engage in the sexual acts with the child, he was arrested by detectives, according to the release.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges of two counts of indecent solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor.

Rojas was being held in the Lake County Jail on $200,000 bail. He is next due in court Dec. 20.

“While we will always use all of our resources to investigate and arrest those who prey on our most vulnerable, it is still very important for parents to understand there are predators out there who prey on our children,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said in the news release. “Please inspect your child’s electronic devices to see who they are communicating with and what they are saying.”