In late March 2018, then-21-year-old Aurora resident Thaddeus Jones broke into the house of a Naperville woman and sexually assaulted her. He then forced her into her car, drove to a bank and had her withdraw money, returned to her house and then stole her car to escape.
Yesterday, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced that a jury has found Jones guilty of two counts of Home Invasion (Class X Felony), eight counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault (Class X Felony), two counts of Aggravated Kidnapping (Class X Felony), one count of Robbery (Class 2 Felony) and one count of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 2 Felony).
For these crimes, Jones is facing 120 years in prison.
According the prosecutors, on March 23, 2018, at approximately 7:15 a.m., DuPage County sheriff deputies responded to a residence in unincorporated Naperville for a report of a home invasion. Through the course of their investigation into the matter authorities learned that Jones had broken into the woman’s home, sexually assaulted her, then forced her into her car which he then drove to her bank to withdraw money for him. Jones then returned to the woman’s home with her at which time the woman was able to escape. Jones then fled the scene in the woman’s car. Within hours, Jones was located at a motel in Naperville and taken into custody. He has remained in custody at the DuPage County Jail since that time.
“This was a horrific, violent attack and sexual assault of an innocent woman in her own home,” Berlin said. “While the victim in this case will never be able to forget what happened to her, it is my sincerest hope that the jury’s finding of guilty on all counts will provide her some measure of justice knowing the man responsible for so much pain and suffering will be held accountable.”
Jones’ next court appearance is scheduled for May 30, 2023, for sentencing.
