Overview
- Charles McKenzie, who leads Englewood First Responders, was arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault and grooming and is being held in Cook County Jail pending trial.
- Prosecutors allege grooming of one girl began around 2017 when she was about 13 or 14 and that a separate 14-year-old relative was sexually assaulted in March 2026.
- Authorities say evidence includes FaceTime screenshots that allegedly show McKenzie exposing himself, forensic interviews with both victims, and recorded witness statements.
- McKenzie worked as a Chicago Public Schools counseling assistant and ran a nonprofit that had partnered with city and state agencies, raising questions about oversight of adults who work with youth.
- Family members initially did not notify police after earlier incidents, the case has prompted scrutiny of reporting and institutional ties, and the matter remains in the pretrial phase with further court dates expected.