Wheeling Man Charged With Sexually Abusing 9-Year-Old Girl

By Jennifer Fisher

Evanston police arrested a 57-year-old Wheeling man Thursday, whom they say sexually abused a 9-year-old Evanston girl.

Richard Coleman, of the 1600 block of Eagle Grove Court in Wheeling, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a felony, according to Evanston Police spokesperson Perry Polinski.

Police began their investigation in May, when the 9-year-old girl told a social worker at her elementary school, who in turn reported the incident to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). During their investigation, they learned that Coleman had touched the girl inappropriately while he was a houseguest, and that similar things happened while at his home in Wheeling, according to Polinski. 

Evanston police worked with the school social worker, DCFS, the Children’s Advocacy Center and the Wheeling Police Department to build their case, Polinski said.