Hoffman Estates man gets 8 years for sexually assaulting unconscious woman
A 24-year-old Hoffman Estates man was sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting an unconscious and intoxicated woman at a March 2013 house party.
Convicted in April of two counts of criminal sexual assault, Yovani Hernandez-Rojas faced up to 30 years in prison. He received credit for 46 days in custody.
During Thursday's hearing before Cook County Judge Marc Martin, defense attorney Scott Anderson asked for a minimum eight-year sentence, arguing his client - who previously had no criminal background - was a hardworking, caring, respectful, dependable and compassionate young man "who wanted to make the world a better place."
"This incident is an aberration in the life of the defendant," said Anderson, who gave the judge 19 letters of support for Hernandez-Rojas from friends and relatives.
That's not how the victim described him. In an emotional impact statement read by Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Piper, the woman - who was 18 at the time - berated him for taking advantage of her for "his selfish reasons."
"I blame myself for everything that happened that night, for drinking heavily," said the woman who described the self-doubt, regret, sorrow and shame she experienced as a result of the attack.
"Before March 2013 I was a leader," she wrote, the person who cheered other people up, the person they came to for advice. "The night I was raped all that disappeared."
Hernandez-Rojas' "sick pleasure" robbed her of her dignity, value and self-worth, she wrote. She described herself being "stuck on the back burner" while everyone around her moved on.
"What did I do wrong? Where was God and why didn't he watch over me? What did I do that was bad enough to deserve this?" she wondered.
Hernandez-Rojas, who hung his head as Piper read the woman's statement, did not speak during the hearing.
He must complete at least 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Upon his release in six years and nine months, he must register as a sex offender.