Man accused of raping and videotaping naked and bound 10-year-old girl fighting extradition

Gary M.J. “Mikel” Grodin will fight returning to Illinois to face charges related to the rape and videotaping of a bound 10-year-old girl.

Grodin was arrested Thursday afternoon in Tulsa, Okla., on 31 felony charges of predatory criminal assault and child pornography. U.S. marshals picked him up while he was walking down the street, police said.

“Two Swansea police detectives traveled to Tulsa overnight to interview Grodin,” said Swansea Police Chief Steve Johnson. “While there, they assisted local detectives with their investigation into Grodin’s activities. They would normally bring Grodin back to the St. Clair County Jail if he consented to extradition but he did not consent.”

Oklahoma authorities must now filed a criminal charge against Grodin to hold him. The charge is typically a fugitive from justice charge, and a judge may set a bond, allowing for the defendant’s release.

St. Clair County prosecutors will ask Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner to issue an arrest warrant for Groding to Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, stating he is wanted here to face criminal charges. The process is dictated by an interstate compact known as the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act.

The investigation into Grodin continues with police seeking anyone with small children who had contact with Grodin to notify them.

Grodin, 32, was charged Wednesday in St. Clair County Court. He is accused of raping the 10-year-old girl over the course of at least two months while he was living with the girl’s mother, an ex-girlfriend, in Swansea. The police were called after Grodin’s friend received a Facebook message saying he was in love with the elementary school girl and was having sex with her.

During their interview with the girl, the victim said that Grodin would force her girl to undress, touch her then use zip-ties to restrain her arms so she couldn’t cover herself or resist, then take pictures and videos of her. Police recovered images from Grodin’s cellphone of the girl and a man purported to be Grodin engaged in sex acts with the minor.

The girl, who is now in counseling, is in the custody of her mother. The girl’s mother didn’t know about the assault and was distraught after learning of the abuse, authorities said.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Man accused of raping and videotaping naked and bound 10-year-old girl fighting extradition."