Indictments bring charges in sex club case to 251

Another round of indictments Wednesday against a Vernon Hills man accused of running a sex club for young boys brought the total number of charges in the case to 251.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Steven Scheller said Michael Rebecca, 50, is now charged with molesting nine boys between 2003 and last month.

The grand jury approved 152 more charges against Rebecca on Wednesday that accompany the 99 charges already filed against him.

Rebecca faces a total of 36 counts of predatory sexual assault of a child, 119 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and 96 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Scheller said if Rebecca is convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child or aggravated criminal sexual assault against two or more victims, he will face a mandatory life prison sentence.

Police said Rebecca, of 750 Court of Birch, Apt. 1, performed hundreds of sex acts with the boys, who stayed with him on weekends or for longer periods after Rebecca had gained the trust of their parents.

He designed games around sex acts and ranked the boys inside the club at various levels, police said. Those boys at the highest levels were allowed to spend more time with Rebecca than lower-ranking boys, police said.

A computer programmer, Rebecca gave the boys money and electronic gifts, such as iPods, iPhones and computer games, authorities alleged.

The victims lived in Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Prospect Heights, Elk Grove Village and Twin Lakes, Wis.

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

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

Rebecca, who is held on $2.5 million bond, is scheduled to be arraigned today before Circuit Judge James Booras.