Sexual Assault Charges Filed In Attack On Girl, 16, On Bike Path

WAUKEGAN, IL — Authorities said a Beach Park man has been arrested on sexual assault charges after DNA evidence linked him to last week's attack on a teenaged girl on the Robert McClory Bike Path.

Tramane Johnson, 27, of the 38700 block of Sheridan Road, lives about 1.3 miles from the spot where a 16-year-old girl was attacked on June 7.

Around 7:30 p.m. that evening, a man emerged from the tree line along the path just north of Yorkhouse Road, grabbed the girl by her neck, and shoved her to the ground before removing her clothes and sexually assaulting her, according to the sheriff's office.

Someone nearby heard the girl shouting, and the attacker fled after a resident responded. At the time, officials said the suspect was described as having a distinctive hair style with multiple metal barrettes in short hair.

Investigators found a hair sample at the scene, and DNA analysis linked it to Johnson, whose genetic code had been indexed following a weapons charge in another state, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office put his house under surveillance until an arrest warrant was issued. Johnson was taken into custody Wednesday morning, the sheriff's office announced, and detectives executed a search warrant of his home in the afternoon.

Sheriff John Idleburg thanked members of the public and his office's law enforcement partners for help quickly tracking down a prime suspect in the case.

“This is a prime example of a community-law enforcement partnership," Idleburg said in a statement.

"Hundreds of shares on social media, and dozens of messages and tips came in to aid our pursuit of justice for the victim," he added." Ultimately, a DNA sample was obtained which enabled us to identify the suspect, take him into custody and begin the healing process for the victim."

Prosecutors approved two counts of attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class 1 felony, and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class 2 felony. Additional charges may be added, authorities said.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement that his office had multiple supervisors working on the case.

“We take all crimes involving sexual violence incredibly seriously," Rinehart said. "We thank our partners in law enforcement, medical community, and at the crime lab for their fast work. We pledge every possible resource to the successful prosecution of the perpetrator.”

RELATED: Teen Sexually Assaulted On Robert McClory Bike Path In Beach Park

As of Wednesday afternoon, Johnson remained held at Lake County Jail ahead of an initial bond hearing.

Johnson was convicted of home burglary and theft in Arkansas and sentenced to five years in prison in 2012, court records show.

Officials announced plans for a news conference at 4:30 p.m. to discuss "limited information" about the case.