Fourth man convicted in Elgin home invasion

A fourth man has been convicted for his role in an August 2008 home invasion on Elgin's far west side in which the perpetrators cut the phone lines, kicked down the front door and tied a family up with duct tape.

A Kane County jury this week convicted Christian Lopez, 21, of the 100 block of Tennyson Court, Elgin, of home invasion, residential burglary and theft.

The most serious crime carries a maximum prison term of 30 years.

Lopez is due in court on April 16 for sentencing; two more men await trial.

Lopez and five others are accused of smashing down the door of a home in the 3600 block of Old Bridge Lane, Elgin, at about 11:30 p.m. Aug. 22.

The homeowners, a third adult and four children younger than 8 were home at the time.

One of the homeowners tried to call police, but the line had been cut. She escaped through a bathroom window and ran to a neighbor's house for help.

The burglars left the home before police arrived.

Three others have already pleaded guilty in the case. They are: Donnel J. Lyle, 24, of the 1000 block of Hunter Drive, Elgin; Leville Starks, 33, and Frederick J. Neal, 36, both of the 100 block of Bounty Drive, Poplar Grove. Each was sentenced to 21 years.

The fourth co-defendant, Anthony L. Starks, 37, of the 800 block of 8th Street, Rockford, is due in court Friday, March 5.

He is charged with seven felonies, the most serious of which carries a maximum 30-year prison term. Authorities say Starks was the ringleader in the Elgin burglary.

Last year, the Starks brothers and Neal were sentenced to 15 years each after pleading guilty to an Aug. 16, 2008, home invasion in Barrington Hills.

No one was seriously injured in either home invasion.

The final defendant, Daniel A. Feliciano, 22, of the 2400 block of Daybreak Court, Elgin, also awaits trial and is due in court on Aug. 12. Like Starks, he faces up to 30 years behind bars and is being held on $500,000 bail.