~ On January 11, 2026, a disturbing incident occurred at a Walgreens store in Naperville, Illinois. A female acquaintance was allegedly sexually assaulted in the store's washroom by two teenage boys from Lisle. The DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres held a joint press conference today to announce the charges against the two suspects.

According to the authorities, James Patterson, 17 years old, and a juvenile male, aged 15, have been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and other related offenses. Due to the severity of the allegations, Patterson's case has been automatically transferred to adult court while the juvenile's case will be heard in Juvenile Court.

The incident took place at around 3:40 p.m. when the victim was using the washroom at Walgreens. The defendants allegedly entered the washroom and attacked her. It is alleged that Patterson pinned her against a stall wall and pulled down her pants. Despite her pleas to stop, he continued to assault her physically and sexually. The juvenile is also accused of recording the assault on his phone and participating in it.

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After the assault, the victim managed to alert store employees who then called 911. The defendants fled on foot but were later apprehended by officers from Naperville Police Department. When Patterson was taken into custody, he was found to be in possession of the victim's cell phone.

State's Attorney Berlin expressed his shock and disgust at the heinous nature of this crime. He commended the survivor for her bravery in coming forward and thanked Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Lindt for her hard work in securing strong charges against both defendants.

Chief Arres also condemned this violent act and assured that his department has zero tolerance for such behavior. He praised his officers for their swift response which led to the prompt arrest of both suspects.

Patterson appeared in First Appearance Court this afternoon where Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State's motion to detain him pre-trial. The juvenile appeared at his detention hearing this morning where Judge Chantelle Porter granted the State's motion to detain him until his next court appearance.

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Both defendants are facing serious charges, including Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Robbery. Their next court appearances have been scheduled for February 2nd and January 27th respectively.

The authorities remind the public that these are only charges and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. They urge anyone with information about this case to come forward and assist in the investigation.

As this case moves forward, our hearts remain with the survivor of this horrific crime. We hope that she and her family receive the support and care they need during this difficult time. The community is urged to stand together against such acts of violence and support those who have been victimized.

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