Lake Co. rapist gets 30 years for home invasions

A Round Lake Park man accused in a pair of home invasions, including one in which a woman was repeatedly raped, was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday in Lake County circuit court.

Carlos Garcia, 24, will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence for aggravated criminal sexual assault before becoming eligible for parole.

Assistant State's Attorney Fred Day said Garcia, of the 200 block of East Main Street, forced his way into the home of a 23-year-old woman about 4 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2007.

Garcia held a knife to the woman's throat while he raped her repeatedly, and punched her in the head twice during the attack.

Police canvassed the area with a description of Garcia, and less than eight hours later he was arrested when a store owner in the area recognized him and called police.

While questioning Garcia about the attack, Day said police identified him as a suspect in a home invasion that had occurred nine days earlier.

A 30-year-old Round Lake woman told police she was in her apartment around 10 a.m. on Nov. 3 when a man knocked on the door.

The woman told police the man, who she was later able to identify as Garcia from a photograph array, explained he was the mechanic she had called to come and fix her car.

When the woman replied she had not called a mechanic, Garcia drew a 12-inch butcher knife from his waistband and forced his way into the apartment.

The woman began screaming and Garcia fled, although he was later identified as the man a witness saw running away from the apartment while the woman was screaming.

He was charged with multiple counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and home invasion, both felony crimes punishable by mandatory prison sentences of between six and 30 years in prison.

Day said he agreed to drop the charges of home invasion in exchange for Garcia's guilty plea to aggravated criminal sexual assault.

Day said his decision on the plea negotiation was prompted by the wishes of both women, who are still traumatized by their encounters with Garcia and wished to avoid testifying in open court.