Deerfield Man Charged After Allegedly Soliciting 17-Year-Old Girl for Sex at Elmhurst Gas Station

ELMHURST, Ill. — A 70-year-old Deerfield man is facing a felony charge after prosecutors say he approached a teenage girl at an Elmhurst gas station and repeatedly solicited her for sex.

Elmhurst police responded around 10:40 a.m. Sunday to a gas station in the 600 block of West North Avenue following a report of an unwanted man in the area.

Authorities said a 17-year-old girl was pumping gas when she was approached by Janeiro Green, 70, of Deerfield.

According to prosecutors, Green began speaking with the teen and allegedly used vulgar language while telling her that he wanted to have sex with her. He also allegedly offered to pay her and continued making sexual comments despite the girl making several attempts to end the conversation.

The teen eventually managed to disengage by telling Green she had to go to work. Before she left, Green allegedly gave her his name, phone number and email address.

While officers were speaking with the teen, police noticed a commotion involving Green at a business across the street. Officers called Green over, interviewed him and subsequently took him into custody without incident.

Green was transported to the DuPage County Jail and appeared in court Monday. He has been charged with solicitation of a sexual act of a minor, a Class 4 felony.

Despite the felony charge, Green was released from custody because the alleged offense is not eligible for pretrial detention under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act. His release conditions prohibit him from contacting the alleged victim or anyone under the age of 18.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin praised the teenager for reporting the encounter and said the case highlights what he believes are shortcomings in Illinois’ pretrial detention laws.

Berlin said the solicitation charge is specifically excluded from the sex offenses eligible for detention under current law unless circumstances involving serious bodily harm or other qualifying factors are present. He called on state lawmakers to give judges greater discretion when determining whether a defendant could pose a danger to the public.

Elmhurst Police Chief Michael McLean also praised the teen and her mother for promptly reporting the incident, emphasizing that minors should be able to feel safe in public spaces and encouraging residents to contact police when they witness suspicious behavior.

Green is scheduled to return to court on September 28.

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