Aurora landlord pleads guilty to unlawful restraint of tenant
An Aurora landlord charged with sexually assaulting a new tenant in May 2019 has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and will begin serving a 180-day jail sentence next month.
Mahmoud Khamissi, 38, of the 2400 block of Halstead Lane, originally faced six to 30 years in prison if convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault causing bodily harm to the victim, a felony, along with a lifetime registration as a sex offender, according to Kane County court records.
He also was charged with attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault causing bodily harm, also a felony, which carried a sentence of four to 15 years in prison.
Late last week, Khamissi pleaded guilty to unlawful restraint, a felony, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years of probation through July 2023. He is to report to the jail Aug. 25.
Kane County Judge Charles Petersen accepted the plea agreement in which prosecutors dismissed both sexual assault charges. The state's attorney's office had no comment on the case Thursday.
Khamissi was arrested May 21, 2019, on charges he attacked a new tenant April 20, 2019.
Aurora police said a 37-year-old woman moved into a rental house on the 800 block of Symphony Lane on April 15, 2019. During several days, Khamissi went to the house and made several sexual advances, which were rejected.
The night of April 20, Khamissi went to the house to get some items from the attached garage and, while there, asked the woman for help, police said.
Khamissi forced her into a corner of the garage and assaulted her, police said. A passerby interrupted Khamissi, who ran to his car and sped off, police said. The victim was treated at a hospital.
Khamissi's defense attorney, Vincent Luisi, declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday.
Khamissi gets credit for two weeks served at the Kane County jail after his arrest. He posted $37,500 bond in early June 2019 after Luisi argued his client's $50,000 bond was excessive and unreasonable.
If Khamissi violates his probation, he could be resentenced to up to three years in prison. He also can have his jail term cut in half for good behavior.