[WARNING: This story contains description of sexual assault]
CHICAGO — A former Chicago Park District lifeguard was charged with three felonies in connection to a sexual assault in 2018 at a Chicago Park District pool, officials announced Thursday.
Hector Coz, 25, is charged with one felony count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under 18 in a position of trust, one felony count of criminal sexual assault of a victim 13 through 17 years old and one felony count of criminal sexual assault by force.
Court documents reveal Coz was the victim’s supervisor in the summer of 2018 at the park district’s Jefferson Park pool in the 4800 block of North Long Avenue.
Coz was 21 years old at the time of the incident while the victim was 17 years old. Shortly after the victim began working at the pool, Coz began making sexual comments toward her with increasing frequency, indicating that he could pleasure her better than her boyfriend could.
According to court documents, Coz was in charge of scheduling in approximately July to August of 2018 and set the schedules so that he would be working with the victim during morning shift hours when few people would typically be at the pool.
Documents revealed that one day during this time period, the victim was approached by Coz shortly after changing in the women’s locker room just outside the door.
Coz then entered the locker room and closed the door behind him. Coz then approached the victim and pinned her against the lockers before sexually assaulting her.
Court documents show that the victim confided in another female lifeguard employed by Chicago Park District about the assault in approximately August 2020. This lifeguard revealed that Coz had assaulted her as well in 2016, before Coz was a supervisor but while both parties were over 18 years of age and working together.
Based upon the date of the incident and ages of those involved, the statute of limitations for charges in that case has passed. The female lifeguard alleged the assault also took place in the women’s locker room.
The victim then reported the assault to authorities shortly following her conversation with the female lifeguard.
The victim participated in an electronically recorded interview with CPD and an Assistant State’s Attorney in July 2021, where she described the assault and positively identified Coz as the perpetrator.
Coz has been issued a $275,000 bail with electronic monitoring. Coz is ordered to not have contact with the victim or the victim’s family members and is also ordered to not contact anyone under the age of 18.