A 44-year-old homeless man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman near the Illinois Prairie Path in 2018.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced that Thursday evening a jury found Robert Davison guilty of twelve counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, a Class X Felony and one count of Unlawful Restraint, a Class 4 Felony.
On May 18, 2018, at approximately 12:30 a.m., the Wheaton Police Department was notified of someone screaming for help near the PADS Shelter in Wheaton. Officers found the victim with dirt on her face and scratches and cuts to her upper body.
Through the course of their investigation, authorities learned that at approximately 12:30 that night, Davison approached the victim near the Illinois Prairie Path and demanded sex from her. When the woman declined, Davison dragged her into a wooded area by her hair and sexually assaulted her. Following the assault, Davison fled. Wheaton police identified Davison as a suspect in the assault and he was taken into custody without incident two days later.
“Survivors of sexual assaults face a long, difficult road to recovery,” Berlin said. “The physical and emotional damage inflicted upon them can leave survivors to suffer not only at the time of the assault, but possibly for years to come. I wish the survivor in this case the best and it is my hope that Mr. Davison’s guilty verdict will provide her some measure of solace as she moves on from this horrible assault.”
Davison’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 7, 2024, for return of the Pre-Sentence Report. He faces a penalty of up to ninety years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
