Naperville man charged in alleged sexual assault at DuPage County Crisis Center
A Naperville man charged with sexually assaulting a woman at the DuPage County Crisis Center is being held in the county jail, authorities said.
Lonny Bracey, 34, is accused of attacking the woman in a bedroom at the 12-bed residential center in Wheaton, according to a news release from the Wheaton Police Department. The incident occurred just before 11:30 p.m. June 19, the release said.
Bracey has been charged with felony criminal sexual assault. It is alleged that he had sexual contact with the victim while she was asleep and unable to give consent, according to the criminal complaint.
After Bracey fled, crisis center staff were notified and the police called. The victim was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment, police said.
Reached by phone Tuesday, Wheaton Deputy Police Chief Brian Gabryel declined to share additional information about the victim or the alleged offender out of “respect (for their) confidentiality.”
Asked if Bracey was a resident at the center, Gabryel said, “I’m not going to give out any information regarding both the victim or the alleged offender in this case (beyond) anything other than what was included in the press release.”
Bracey is not a center employee, according to the DuPage County Health Department, which operates the crisis center and provides short-term help to county residents experiencing a mental health crisis.
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the center admits patients after staff members conduct crisis evaluations to determine eligibility, according to the health department website. There are several factors that preclude admission, including if someone is deemed aggressive or is a registered sex offender. The average length of stay is five to seven days.
In response to the incident, the health department issued a written statement that said, “The health and safety of our clients and staff are of the utmost importance.” They are cooperating with law enforcement, the statement said, and will conduct a “full internal investigation.”
Bracey was taken into custody June 20 and appeared at a detention hearing in DuPage County Circuit Court on June 22, at which time he was ordered to remain in custody while he awaits criminal trial.
In a news release, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin called the allegations against Bracey “shocking.”
“The violent attack on a patient in her room at a behavioral health residential facility will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law,” he said.
Bracey’s next court date is scheduled for July 16.