Man abused, gave drugs to teen girl; hid from police in woods ‘like Rambo,’ McHenry County authorities say

A 35-year-old Wonder Lake man is accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl before leading police on a manhunt, trying to elude authorities by boat and hiding in the woods “like Rambo,” authorities said.

Austin M. Chiluk is charged with five counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of grooming, court records show. Chiluk could face a maximum of 38 years in prison and up to $150,000 in fines if found guilty on all counts.

Judge Carl Metz denied Chiluk pretrial release Friday, saying that he is a “real and present threat” to the community and has shown a risk to flee. Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger argued that Chiluk has no previous history of violence or charges of this nature.

Chiluk fled from McHenry County Sheriff’s deputies Thursday to Walworth County, Wisconsin, by boat, Assistant State’s Attorney Julio Cantre said. Chiluk then went into nearby woods on foot, “smearing mud on his face like Rambo” to further evade the police, Cantre said.

“At one point, he hid in a tree,” Cantre said. “He left his phone in the boat in fear that the police were tracking him.”

Eventually, the prosecutor said, Chiluk was able to reach his mother, who ordered an Uber ride for him back to his grandmother’s house; he told the Uber driver he was “moving to Arizona” and is known to have family there, Cantre said.

“He took a number of affirming steps to avoid arrest and prosecution,” Cantre said.

Prosecutors said Chiluk admitted to police that he had sex with a 14-year-old girl on “multiple occasions” in his home, his car and friends’ homes while suppling her with cocaine. Prosecutors also think Chiluk could have been involved with other underaged girls because they believe the victim got his phone number from a friend, Cantre said.

“His reputation for providing drugs for sex suggests there are other girls out there caught up in this scenario,” Cantre said.

The mother of the 14-year-old girl whom Chiluk allegedly abused filed an order of protection against Chiluk last month, according to court records. Cantre described the charges as “disgusting” and “so outside normal behavior.”

Chiluk said he works as a “boat captain,” and court records show that he works at a marine services business in McHenry. Chiluk is set to be in court for his next hearing Tuesday.