A Chicago police officer who slipped his phone number to a 15-year-old girl during Traffic Court has been hit with criminal charges after allegedly having a sexual relationship with the teen, authorities said Tuesday.
William Whitaker, 40, had written the girl’s father traffic citations following an accident in July, Cook County prosecutors said.
She was in court with her father in September, authorities said, and the man told Whitaker the girl was 15. The officer still discreetly gave the teen his phone number, said Assistant State’s Atty. Kathleen Muldoon.
“The victim did call,” Muldoon said.
What allegedly followed was the officer taking the girl to a South Side motel on a number of occasions and engaging in sex, the prosecutor said.
He is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and Judge Kevin Sheehan set bail in the case at $175,000.
Muldoon said the relationship was discovered when school officials noticed the girl being picked up from school early and getting into a green BMW. The car’s license plate was written down, Muldoon said, and the car belonged to the officer.
Investigators allegedly have recovered six motel receipts in the case, which correspond with dates the girl left school, prosecutors said.
Defense lawyer Joseph Roddy told Judge Sheehan that Whitaker is an 11-year police veteran who is married and has three children. He was stripped of his police powers Jan. 13, Roddy said.
Police officials said the case has resulted in an administrative investigation. Whitaker has been placed on desk duty, police said.
He had most recently been assigned to patrol in the Gresham District, officials said.
