Bond Set For Accused Molester Arrested in Oklahoma

Sunday, December 31st 2006, 8:47 am

By: News On 6

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (AP) A convicted sex offender who was arrested in Oklahoma after being accused of sexually assaulting a boy at a suburban Chicago Wal-Mart was being held Sunday in lieu of $2.5 million bond.

Kenneth J. Vernon, 38, of Wheeling is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and battery. He appeared Saturday in Cook County Circuit Court.

Prosecutors asked for a $2 million bond, but Judge James Etchingham issued the higher bond, citing Vernon's earlier convictions, missed court appearances and the age of the alleged victim.

The charges stem from an incident at a Mt. Prospect Wal-Mart on
December 9.

Vernon allegedly stalked the boy in the store for 30 minutes before luring him to a corner of the children's clothing section, where he touched the boy inappropriately, said Assistant State's Attorney Christine Carlyon.

The boy identified Vernon after viewing photographs of known sex offenders and surveillance video, Carlyon said.

When authorities went to question Vernon, he fled, setting off a manhunt that ended December 15 after police traced his cell phone signals to Oklahoma and alerted the Oklahoma Highway Patrol which arrested him near Clinton.

Vernon was convicted of indecent exposure in 1996 and lewd behavior with a child in South Carolina in 2004. He received a suspended sentence and was put on probation.

Assistant Public Defender Richard Fadell said Vernon served in the U.S. Army and briefly attended Harper College.

Vernon is next scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.