W. Chicago man gets life sentence for molesting sisters

A West Chicago man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for molesting two sisters left in his care.

Lorenzo Rogel did not have a prior criminal history, but state law mandates a life term for predatory criminal sexual assault involving multiple children as victims.

DuPage Circuit Judge George Bakalis sentenced the 44-year-old man Thursday after rejecting his request for a new trial. It took a jury about one hour last month to convict Rogel of raping two sisters, ages 5 and 7, until the older one made an outcry to her mother. She immediately contacted police.

Prosecutor Steven Knight said Rogel admitted sexually assaulting both girls two to three times a week while baby-sitting them for several months until his arrest in August 2005. He provided police with a videotaped statement.