New sexual assault charges for alleged arsonist in DeKalb

DeKALB – A man already accused of setting fires in vacant Suburban Apartment units now faces new charges that he sexually assaulted a minor multiple times while inside those apartments, according to court records.

Travis J. Council, 32, of DeKalb is charged with criminal sexual assault of a minor and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, according to DeKalb County court records filed May 23.

In the filings, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office deputies alleged Council and the teenager, 15, were in an illegal dating relationship and Council knew he was more than twice the age of the minor.

The minor told authorities of multiple instances in which Council sexually assaulted her, including Feb. 14 when they were inside a vacant apartment on the 1300 block of North Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb, according to court records.

The girl told authorities that Council threatened to kill himself, her father and her if “she did not do what he wanted her to do,” sheriff’s deputies wrote in court records.

[ Man charged with arson in multiple fires at Suburban Apartments: cops ]

The teenager’s father obtained an order of protection against Council on behalf of the girl, which was served to Council on March 23, records show. Council is accused of violating that order at least 12 times, including on April 3 when he had a third party call the teenager and on April 8 when he told the girl “I don’t care about no Order of Protection,” records show.

Council also was charged with aggravated domestic battery against the minor on March 20, records show. He initially was arrested March 23 and was charged with arson, residential burglary, criminal trespass to land and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to DeKalb County court records. Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick ordered Council’s pretrial release on the arson charges March 25, court records show, although he was ordered to be on an electronic home monitoring device. The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office also had on March 25 filed a petition to deny Council’s release.

Council was ordered remanded back into police custody on May 24 pending his new charges, records show. He is represented by the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office. Prosecutors with the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a motion to deny release to Council on May 23.

If convicted with the most serious crime, criminal sexual assault of a minor, Council could face six to 30 years in prison.