Officials say Veronica M. Reyes, 41, of Barrington, is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy on multiple occasions in February and March as they revealed new details on the case during a Thursday court hearing, adding that Reyes’ home was the “party house” for her son’s friends and that she also physically abused other juveniles. | Photo – Left: Provided; Photo: – Right: Nick Rusin
By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner
A Barrington mother accused of sexually assaulting her son’s 16-year-old friend told him, “I really shouldn’t be doing this,” then said, “Whatever, who cares,” and continued, prosecutors said, adding that she physically abused other children.
Veronica M. Reyes, 41, of Barrington, was charged Monday with four counts of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony, and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Eduardo Zermeno said Reyes is the mother of two of the victim’s friends and made herself a “constant presence” in her sons’ peer group.
She would drive the boy and other juveniles wherever they wanted to go and allegedly supply them with alcohol and cannabis.
Reyes used that access to isolate the boy inside her bedroom at her home in Barrington while the other juveniles who were there slept in other rooms, Zermeno said.
Reyes is accused of sexually assaulting the boy during two separate encounters roughly two to three weeks apart, each involving multiple sex acts.
The arrest warrant alleges the offenses occurred between February 10 and February 20 and between February 24 and March 13.
The boy told investigators that during the first encounter, Reyes asked him, “You’re 18, right?”
When he told her he was 16 and about to turn 17, Reyes noted he was close in age to her own 15-year-old son and said, “I really shouldn’t be doing this. This isn’t good,” Zermeno said.
The boy told Reyes that if she wanted to stop, she should stop, and Reyes responded, “Whatever, who cares,” and continued, Zermeno said. She later committed the same acts against him again.
Report continues here.
