Wonder Lake man accused of traveling to Michigan to meet minor, sexually assaulting her

Mark L. Bock charged with harboring a runaway, set for bond hearing Wednesday

Mark L. Bock

A 45-year-old Wonder Lake man accused of traveling to Michigan to meet a 16-year-old girl he met online last summer is set to appear in court Wednesday on a request to see his bond reduced, according to documents filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

Mark L. Bock, of the 3000 block of Fawn Lane, had his bond set at $100,000 after being charged with five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, traveling to meet a minor, indecent solicitation of a child, grooming and harboring a runaway, according to the criminal complaint.

The McHenry Police Department learned that Bock, “using a computer online service” between June 1, 2021, and June 7, 2022, seduced the girl and solicited her to commit a sex act, according to the complaint filed in the courthouse.

On June 6 and 7, Bock traveled by bus and train to Detroit, Michigan, to meet the minor, then without her parents’ knowledge, returned with her to McHenry where they spent the next two nights in a Super 8 hotel and he allegedly sexually abused her, according to McHenry Deputy Police Chief Thomas Walsh and the criminal complaint.

Walsh said the girl’s parents reported her missing in Detroit. But, it was the girl who called police in McHenry saying that her parents were threatening Bock, Walsh said.

Police located the girl and Bock on Friday and they were taken to the police department for further investigation. He was subsequently charged with multiple felonies. The girl was later reunited with her parents, Walsh said.

Attempts to reach his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Ryan Ahern, on Monday were not successful.

In court Wednesday, Ahern is set to ask that Bock be released on a recognizance bond or have his bond reduced. In the motion Ahern said Bock cannot pay the $10,000 required to be released. He also said that Bock is not a flight risk or a danger to the community.