The founder of a violence prevention program on Chicago’s South Side has been accused of sexually assaulting and grooming two teenage girls over the course of more than seven years.
Charles McKenzie, 37, was charged with the two felony counts on Aug. 7 and was ordered held at the Cook County Jail, court records show.
McKenzie founded Englewood First Responders, a nonprofit focused on violence prevention that has partnered with the city and has earned lucrative contracts from the state. He also has worked as a counseling assistant at Chicago Public Schools and was still employed by the district when he was arrested earlier this month, according to court records.
The allegations stretch back to September 2019, when McKenzie is accused of sexually assaulting a girl who was as young as 14 at the time, according to Cook County prosecutors.
McKenzie allegedly made “sexual facial gestures” toward the girl and grabbed her inappropriately while she was playing at a youth center where he worked.
The girl told her sister and eventually her mother, but police weren’t immediately notified, prosecutors said.
The girl then set up a FaceTime call with McKenzie so her sister could see how he behaved, prosecutors said. After allegedly asking the girl to show him the room to make sure she was alone, he exposed himself to her and made more explicit facial gestures.
The girl’s sister took screenshots but their mother “did nothing” to alert the authorities, court records show.
McKenzie sexually abused that girl’s relative in March 2026 while she was laying in bed, prosecutors said. The 14-year-old girl tried to stop him, but the attack allegedly continued until McKenzie ultimately relented.
The girl told her mother, who said she’d “handle it,” but officials weren’t alerted, prosecutors said. The girl then told the first alleged victim, who called police.
McKenzie made “general denials” in response to the allegations but identified himself and the first girl in a screenshot. He alternated between claiming the photo was fake and saying it was from an old call, prosecutors said.
His attorney didn’t respond to a request for comment, and his organization could not be reached.
In a statement, CPS said it “prioritizes and takes seriously its responsibility to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all students,” but that it does not comment on ongoing investigations.
Launched in 2019, Englewood First Responders has held community events, offered mentoring and after-school programming and conducted daily walk-throughs of the neighborhood. In 2024, Green told the Sun-Times about the burden of mitigating violent incidents.
“I don’t get sleep because I’m trying to keep a lot of stuff down in the community,” he said.
He’s expected back in court Aug. 26.