Marco Ortiz

The July 4th holiday weekend celebration resulted in felony sexual battery charges against a Chicago man accused of inappropriate conduct with an autistic girl.

Indiana State Police investigated the incident that happened July 4 in a public pool at Jellystone Park in Pierceton.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Marco Antonio-Jasso Ortiz, 39, was observed attempting to perform oral sex on a 16-year-old autistic female. When park security officer Michael Wilson arrived in response to the complaint, he found Ortiz standing by the pool with his swimming trunks untied and his penis exposed.

ISP Officer Tim Carpenter was summoned to the park where he interviewed the female victim, her mother and Ortiz. The young girl told police she was approached by Ortiz who kissed her on the cheek and lips and put his face on her vagina on top of her bathing suit while in the water. The victim said she told Ortiz she was only 16, but he refused to stop.

The victim’s mother said her daughter has autism and the mental capacity of an 8-year-old and would not be able to comprehend what Ortiz was doing to her.

Ortiz told Carpenter that he did, in fact, hug, kiss and touch the girl numerous times while they were playing and that he was aroused to the point of having an erection.

Ortiz was arrested and removed from the park. He was charged with sexual battery as a Level 6 felony and initially held on a $6,000 surety bond.