Griffith Man Charged With Sexual Battery After Town Festival
According to court documents, a Griffith man has been charged in Lake County after allegedly groping a woman twice during a town event.
The affidavit states that on August 28, 2025, around 11 p.m., a woman reported to a Griffith police officer that she had been sexually battered by a male on a bicycle near the 200 block of North Broad Street. The woman told police she was walking between food trucks when the bicyclist extended his hand and intentionally grabbed her breast before riding away.
According to court documents, the woman said she chased after the man, throwing an ice cream cone at him, and confronted him. During the confrontation, the man allegedly reached out and grabbed her breast a second time. She then recorded a video of him as he rode away, giving her the middle finger. The woman posted the video to social media where she asked people to identify the male.
Detectives meanwhile reviewed surveillance footage from town cameras and the victim’s video, identifying the bicyclist as Michael Raymond McInerney, 63, of Griffith, whom officers recognized from prior police contacts.
Charges filed September 10, 2025:
- Sexual Battery — Victim compelled to submit by force or imminent threat of force (two counts, Level 6 Felony)
