Chicago carnival worker charged with molesting 2 toddlers

Chicago, IL, United States (4E) – A 29-year-old, Chicago-area carnival worker has been indicted on charges of sexually abusing two toddlers in his care. The toddlers, a two-year-old and a three-year-old with unspecified genders, were reportedly molested in the pretense of being taken cared of by Wilfredo Elias.

In a statement, Cook County State’s Attorney’s office said that Elias is charged with one felony count each of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and manufacturing child pornography.

In a report by CBS Chicago, a USB flash drive was discovered by a witness in a family storage area owned by Elias in July. The data in the device included several video files, one of which claimed to depict Elias sexually assaulting a child, prosecutors said.

The witness informed a family member who called the police. Elias was in a working carnival tour in Missouri when arrested. He was held without bond upon returning to Chicago.

Both victims were identified after several video images that showed Elias assaulting each of the two toddlers were recovered by prosecutors. It was disclosed that the children were under Elias’ care several occasions over the past year.

There is no report if Elias has a criminal record, nor are there information about the carnival company he worked for, or whether he was previously suspected of abusing any children at the carnival.

He returns to court on October 2 and faces life in prison if convicted.

A 19-year-old carnival worker named Adam J. Moyers was also charged with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault a few weeks ago for assaulting a three-year-old in a fun house at the Schaumburg Village Septemberfest.

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