Bensenville man sentenced to 19 years for Villa Park carjacking

A Bensenville man was sentenced Wednesday to 19 years in prison for an October 2021 carjacking in Villa Park.

Luis Gomez-Garcia, 30, one of two men charged in the case, pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated kidnapping, according to a news release from the DuPage County state's attorney's office. The other defendant, Christopher Krieg, 34, of Carol Stream, is awaiting his next court date on March 10. Both have been held without bail in the county jail since Oct. 10, 2021.

The carjacking occurred at 4:48 p.m. on Oct. 8, 2021, in a parking lot at 270 W. North Ave. The victim and her two children, ages 10 and 5, had just entered the car when Gomez-Garcia approached and put a knife to the woman's throat through the open window, the news release said.

Authorities allege that after Krieg, who also was armed with a knife, got into the back seat with the victim's children, Gomez-Garcia ordered her to hand over her iPhone, Apple watch and wallet.

Gomez-Garcia ordered the victim to drive to her home, but she drove to another location, where she and her children were released, the state's attorney's office said,

A few hours later, Chicago police found Krieg inside the victim's vehicle on the 2900 block of West Harrison Street, the news release said. Gomez-Garcia was 10 feet away, and both were arrested.