A registered sex offender was caught attending an Oak Park and River Forest High School basketball game last week, police say.
According to Oak Park police, Derrick Avery, 35, of the 800 block of North Austin Boulevard, reportedly entered the high school’s field house around 6:19 p.m. Feb. 25 and sat in on the game between OPRF and Hinsdale South.
Illinois state law prohibits a child sex offender to be present in any school building or property, or loiter within 500 feet of school property without the permission of the superintendent, school board or principal. Avery was convicted of attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon in 1999 in Cook County, according to the Illinois Sex Offender registry. Records say his victim was 14 years old and Avery was 19 at the time.
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A student at Wednesday’s basketball game allegedly recognized Avery as a sex offender and brought the “suspicious man” to the attention of school security and school officials, then called Oak Park police, according to Oak Park Police Cmdr. LaDon Reynolds.
Avery was taken into custody and charged as a sex offender in a school zone. He was ordered held on $5,000 bond. His next court date is March 13 at the Maywood courthouse.
Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.