3 plead guilty to 2014 Elgin gang rape
As they raped a nearly unconscious woman in 2014 in Elgin, three men laughed, referred to their gangs and video-recorded the assault.
On Friday, two of them were sentenced to 18 years in prison in exchange for pleading guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault causing bodily harm.
The third pleaded guilty to the same charge Wednesday, but will be sentenced later.
"These three defendants committed degrading acts and even video-recorded their crimes. They belong in prison. Their guilty pleas relieve the victim of having to see her attackers again and talk publicly about how she was raped while she was nearly unconscious," Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said in a news release Friday.
Jose L. Vazquez Jr., 21, of Elgin, and Daniel Hernandez-Gutierrez, 24, of South Elgin, each pleaded guilty Friday.
They will have to serve at least 85 percent of their 18-year sentence, but were given credit for the 3½ years they have been held in the Kane County jail.
Eric Cruz, 26, of Elgin, pleaded guilty Wednesday and will be sentenced later.
Prosecution of charges of unlawful restraint and kidnapping for all three was dropped.
The three are gang members, Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Cullen stated in court Friday, and the rape took place at a friend's house.
During the attacks, the men represented their gangs by making hand signs and said things referring to their gang.
Cruz was the one video recording the assaults and also narrated them.
According to Cullen, at one point Cruz said "Show what's up with the (gang name). Right here, we're (gang branch, gang branch.)"
Vazquez then laughed and said "Put my face in that camera. We out here folks be (gang) killing (gang) killing."
The video, Elgin police said, shows the woman lying on the floor, incoherent.
The woman knew the three men. She told police she had consumed four alcoholic drinks Dec. 9, 2014, that one of the men prompted her to drink faster, and that she left her beverage unattended several times.
She woke up the next morning with her clothes undone and a bruised back. She said she didn't remember having intercourse and hadn't consented to having sex or being recorded. She sought treatment at Advocate Sherman Hospital for her injuries.