Chicago man accused of sexually assaulting three young girls told prosecutors he considered himself a boy in a man’s body, according to Cook County court documents.
Joseph Roman, 38, is charged with predatory criminal sexual assault stemming from repeated attacks on three girls who were 6 to 8 years old at the time, according to prosecutors. Roman was a friend of the girls’ families at the time of the attacks between 2015 and January of this year.
During a hearing Wednesday, prosecutors said Roman admitted to some of the attacks and told Chicago police “he is a 9-year-old trapped in an adult’s body.” He was ordered held without bail.
Prosecutors said the attacks began when the family of one of the girls moved into Roman’s home for 10 weeks. Roman is accused of regularly assaulting her between August 2015 and December 2017 while the other family members were sleeping. The girl was 6 when the assaults began.

In October 2016, Roman is accused of assaulting an 8-year-old girl while her family stayed with him for 10 weeks. Her mother worked a night shift, and Roman would help take care of the children, prosecutors said. One attack occurred while two younger children were in the room watching a video on a cellphone, prosecutors said.
The attacks continued after the family moved out, prosecutors said.
Between January 2017 and January of this year, Roman allegedly assaulted another 6-year-old girl while she slept in his home, prosecutors said. The girl’s family and the family of one of the other victims confronted Roman after an attack Jan. 6.
Roman was taken into custody and made a video admission Monday, prosecutors said. The charge against Roman is a Class X felony.

source: chicagotribune.com