95 charges added in boys sex club case

Lake County prosecutors filed 95 additional charges Wednesday against a Vernon Hills man accused of running a "sex club" for underage boys.

Michael Rebecca, 50, now faces a total of 99 counts of predatory sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

The case against Rebecca remains under investigation and prosecutors said more charges are likely to be filed.

Assistant State's Attorney Steven Scheller said Rebecca, of 750 Court of Birch, Apt. 1, molested at least five children who were ages 11 to 13 when he first met them.

Between 2003 and last month, police said, Rebecca ran a sex club with the children that resulted in hundreds of sex acts at his home.

Police said he designed games around sex acts for the boys to play and ranked the boys inside the club at various levels.

Those boys at the highest levels were allowed to spend more time with Rebecca than those at the lowest levels, police said.

Police have interviewed boys from Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Prospect Heights, Elk Grove Village and Twin Lakes, Wis., and believe there could be as many as eight or nine victims.

Scheller said Rebecca gained access to the boys because their parents would leave them with him for weekends or longer after Rebecca had gained their trust.

Rebecca, a computer programmer, plied his victims with money and electronic gifts, such as iPods, iPhones and computer games, police said.

He also allowed them to watch pornography in his home. Police seized seven computers and nine independent hard drives from his home when Rebecca was arrested Nov. 2.

Investigators became involved when a 16-year-old boy who was feeling suicidal went to the Lake County sheriff's office and detailed his involvement with Rebecca.

Rebecca was taken into custody and police said he gave them a detailed statement with the names of additional victims.

Scheller said the case remains under intense investigation and detectives from several departments are still completing their reports.

"This is one of the most wide-ranging cases of sexual abuse in Lake County history," Scheller said. "This case will be investigated completely and every charge we can file against this defendant will be filed."

He predicted the additional information concerning Rebecca's activities would be presented Dec. 12 to the same grand jury that indicted him Wednesday.

Rebecca, who is held on $2.5 million bond, is due to appear for arraignment before Circuit Judge James Booras on Dec. 13.

Scheller said he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted.