Guilty verdict in Elk Grove gun case

Spa owner Bo Liu faces up to three years in prison after being convicted Wednesday of pulling a gun on a customer in the parking lot of an Elk Grove Village hotel.

Liu, 40, of Lisle, was found guilty of one count of aggravated and unlawful use of a weapon during a bench trial before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kay Hanlon.

On Nov. 28, 2009, Liu arranged for one of his masseuses to meet two clients at the suburban hotel. According to testimony in the case, Liu solicited the clients in an online ad that said "Hot Asian Girls for Massage" and charged $75 an hour.

When the first customer was receiving his massage, the masseuse called Liu and told him the man had raped and robbed her, the masseuse testified on the stand with help from a Mandarin translator.

Liu, who had been waiting in the parking lot, saw a man who fit the description of the assailant running out of the hotel. So he testified that he got a gun out of his trunk, pointed it at him, and then called 911.

"I wanted to stop him from escaping. I didn't want to hurt anyone," Liu testified.

However, Hanlon said the man didn't pose a threat to Liu and there was no evidence showing that the man was trying to flee the scene.

Liu said he owns five spas around the area and advertises online. He has no prior criminal history and will remain free on bond. His sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 2.