Aurora man bound, raped ex-girlfriend, cops say

An Aurora man is accused of forcing his way into he ex-girlfriend's apartment while armed with a handgun and later raping the woman.

Erik Smith was living with the woman, their 1-year-old daughter and a male friend in an apartment, but his girlfriend kicked him out Sunday afternoon, police said.

About 1:45 a.m. Monday, the 29-year-old Smith returned to the apartment armed with a handgun and forced his way inside holding both his ex-girlfriend and their roommate at gunpoint, according to police.

Smith then bound the woman with duct tape before raping her, said Aurora police Sgt. Tim Ciochon.

At some point before the sexual assault, the other man, who authorities said was a friend of Smith's, was able to escape and call police, Ciochon said.

The victim's 1-year-old daughter was inside the apartment when the assault occurred but was not in the same room, police said.

When police knocked at the apartment door, the victim answered and initially spoke with officers from inside the apartment, police said. She eventually began to cry and stepped outside, telling police Smith was inside, Ciochon said.

Authorities said Smith eventually gave himself up.

Officers searching the apartment found the firearm in a garbage can and learned that it was unloaded, Ciochon said. They also found suspected cocaine and a small amount of cannabis in Smith's pants, police said.

Smith is being held at the Kane County jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Prosecutors charged Smith with three counts of aggravated sexual assault, home invasion with a firearm, aggravated robbery with a firearm, armed violence, possession of a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records.

“We've dealt with this guy for a number of years,” Ciochon said.