Sexual predator from Ottawa charged with picking up girl at Joliet West High School

A sexual predator has been charged with going to Joliet West High School to pick up a 16-year-old girl and he’s accused of engaging in sexual acts with her, according to Will County prosecutors.

At 11:20 a.m. on Nov. 8, Devin Gende, 23, of Ottawa was transported to the Will County jail on a felony charge of presence within a school zone by a child sex offender.

Gende is accused by prosecutors of visiting Joliet West High School on Oct. 8 to pick up a 16-year-old girl. Gende is listed in the online Illinois sex offender registry as a sexual predator.

Will County Judge Rolanda Mitchell granted a petition from Assistant State’s Attorney Alessandra Conte to deny Gende’s pretrial release.

Mitchell’s Nov. 10 court order found Gende’s pretrial risk posed a danger to others and that his prior criminal history is “indicative of violent, abusive or assaultive behavior.”

A Joliet police officer responded to a residence on Oct. 11 for a report of a sexual assault at the address for the Louis Joliet Mall, according to Conte’s petition.

The officer met with the aunt of a 16-year-old girl who said her niece did not return home from Joliet West High School on Oct. 8. But the aunt was able to find her niece through the Find My iPhone smartphone app, according to Conte’s petition.

The aunt learned the 16-year-old was in the parking lot of JC Penney at the Joliet mall and that she was in the back seat of a vehicle with a man, according to Conte’s petition.

After she arrived at the mall parking lot, the aunt took photographs of the vehicle, ordered her niece to get out of the vehicle and get into her vehicle, according to prosecutors.

Conte’s petition said the officer was able to find the vehicle registered back to Gende and the aunt received a July 24, 2021 article from Sauk Valley News about Gende. After reviewing the article, the aunt identified Gende as the same man she saw in the vehicle, according to Conte’s petition.

Video footage from Joliet West High School showed Gende’s vehicle, according to Conte’s petition.

The 16-year-old girl said in an interview that she and Gende had been communicating since she was 14 and the two were engaging in sexual acts, according to Conte’s petition.

The girl said that when her aunt arrived at the mall parking lot to take photos, Gende said, “I’m screwed,” and that he “kept saying he was going to jail and please don’t press charges,” according to Conte’s petition.

Gende allegedly told the girl to delete photos, do not undergo a rape kit exam and do not press charges, according to Conte’s petition.

“Upon arrest, [Gende] gave a voluntary statement acknowledging entering the property of [Joliet West High School] to pick up the minor,” according to Conte’s petition.