A Lemont, Illinois, man running to be the Republican nominee in the heavily Democratic 1st Congressional District spent nearly six years in prison after being convicted 27 years ago of sexually assaulting a woman following the South Side Irish Parade, records show.
Eric Carlson, 54, was found guilty in 1995 of criminal sexual assault. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and served about half that time, according to court and Illinois prison records. Carlson is one of four candidates in the June 28 primary seeking the GOP nomination to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush.
According to court records in his unsuccessful appeal of his conviction, Carlson met a woman at a bar in 1994 near the South Side Irish Parade route on the day of the parade.
