The Cook County Sheriff's Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit, in partnership with the U.S. Marshals Task Force, has apprehended a fugitive who had escaped electronic monitoring while awaiting trial for a criminal sex assault case involving a child. Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced the arrest of Jorge Mondragon-Bahena.
Mondragon-Bahena, 48, was placed under the Sheriff's Electronic Monitoring Program in October 2022 after being charged with Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Minor under 13 years old. In March 2023, he removed his GPS tracking device and left his residence on North Southport Avenue in Chicago. Despite multiple attempts by investigators to locate him, he remained at large.
A Cook County arrest warrant was issued for Mondragon-Bahena on charges of Escape – Violation of Electronic Monitoring and the original charge of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault.
In January, investigators discovered that Mondragon-Bahena was living in Chicago using various aliases and working as a cook at an unidentified local restaurant. Recently obtained information led them to his location on South Talman Avenue, where he was arrested without incident.
On March 7, felony escape charges were approved by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Mondragon-Bahena appeared in court the next day at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse and was ordered detained at the Cook County Jail.
"The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."