A 78-year-old Crystal Lake man is accused of sexually assaulting a child in his truck nine years ago when she was 5 or 6 years old.

Miguel Echeverria, who also has homes in Texas and Guatemala, where prosecutors said he goes each winter, is charged with predatory sexual assault of a child younger than 13, a Class X felony, according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court and Judge Cynthia Lamb, who detained him in county jail pretrial Monday.

During Echeverria’s first court appearance, Assistant State’s Attorney Margaret O’Brien argued for his detention, saying he is a danger to the child as well as any other children in the community. Given he has homes in Texas and Guatemala, he also is a flight risk, she said.

Lamb agreed and, in detaining Echeverria, referred to a court document that alleges he worked for the child’s father, befriended him and “would hang around until he could get her by himself.” He would say he had a surprise for her to get her inside his truck, where he, “on more than one occasion ... removed her clothes and [assaulted] her,” the judge said.

O’Brien said Echeverria “took steps to hide” what he was doing by putting up shields in the windows of his truck. When at the father’s business, or when no one was around, Echeverria also sexually abused the girl by touching her over her clothes, the prosecutor and judge said.

O’Brien also said Echeverria was charged in 1999 with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than 13. She said he has similarly abused two “targeted” children of similar age “that we know of.” In the current case, he was homeless and living in is truck where the alleged assaults took place, she said.

However, Echeverria’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger, said the 1999 charge was amended to a battery. He also said that Echeverria could surrender his passport, though it’s currently in Texas, and could be released with conditions to ensure he returns for court. The public defender also said there are conditions that could be put in place to protect the child or any other children including a GPS tracker.

The defense attorney noted Echeverria turned himself in and has two brothers living in Crystal Lake, where he has lived 25 to 30 years. Giesinger also noted the allegations are “delayed” from nine years ago and Echeverria denies them.

Before going back inside the jail, Echeverria, through a Spanish interpreter said: “All of this is a lie.”

He is due back in court Monday, Oct. 6.