Madison man faces charges of sexually assaulting Kentucky teen in Belleville home in 2014

Based on DNA evidence, a 26-year-old Madison man faces three felony charges of sexually assaulting a Kentucky teenager who was visiting Belleville during the summer of 2014.

Teron T. Lee, of the 1600 block of Market Street in Madison, and the victim know each other, according to police. The victim was 17 at the time of the alleged assault.

Lee was charged on Wednesday with criminal sexual assault/use of force, criminal sexual/victim not able to give consent and unlawful restraint.

The victim’s family contacted the Hardin County Sheriff’s Department in Kentucky in December 2014 and that department began the investigation and determined the assault occurred in Belleville.

Belleville Detective Sgt. Mark Heffernan said the teen was spending the 2014 summer in a home on West F Street in Belleville, and she reported the assault occurred in this home.

Belleville investigators traveled to Kentucky and Georgia to talk to the victim and her family and collect evidence.

“It was quite an involved case for us,” Heffernan said. “DNA evidence linked the suspect to this incident. We must credit the forensic scientists with the Illinois State Police for giving us the break we needed to make an arrest in this case.”

Heffernan said multiple potential suspects were investigated and officers obtained DNA samples from them. He said he could not release additional details about the DNA evidence.

Investigators do not have evidence that there are any other victims in this case but anyone with information about Lee is asked to call the Belleville Police Department at 618-234-1212.

Lee was charged on Wednesday and is being held in St. Clair County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. He was arrested at his home on Monday.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Madison man faces charges of sexually assaulting Kentucky teen in Belleville home in 2014."