One in four accused in rape sent to prison

One of four men accused of raping a Round Lake Beach woman in August 2009 has been sentenced to 32 months in prison.

Salvador Elias, 22, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual abuse during a hearing Tuesday before Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak.

Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Hoffert said Elias, of the 1600 block of Channel Drive in Round Lake Beach, was one of four men who encountered the woman during the early morning hours of Aug. 9.

Police said Marco Ortiz-Garcia, 31, of the 1400 block of Park Avenue, and Miguel Godinez-Garica, 29, of the 300 block of Meadowgreen Lane, both in Round Lake Beach, drove the woman from a Round Lake Beach tavern to a party near where Godinez-Garcia lives.

Once at the party, police said, both men raped the woman and she called 911 on her cell phone and screamed for help before the phone was taken away from her.

Elias and Bruno Vargas-Rios, 35, of the 3400 block of Park City, then took the woman from the party to her home where both of those men raped her, police said.

Police arrived at the woman’s residence after tracing her 911 call and arrested Elias and Vargas-Rios.

Ortiz-Garcia and Godinez-Garcia were arrested the following day after the woman identified their photographs.

All four men were charged with criminal sexual assault, but Hoffert agreed to reduce the charge against Elias in exchange for his guilty plea.

Ortiz-Garcia is scheduled to appear in court again Feb. 15, Vargas-Rios on Feb. 18 and Godinez-Garica is due Feb. 22.

All three have pleaded not guilty and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.