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Palatine man accused of kidnapping, rape pleads not guilty

A 20-year-old Palatine man accused of the kidnapping, sexual assault and beating of a woman in Lake Barrington last month pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday.

Ryan Storm, of the 500 block of West Gilbert Road, appeared at the virtual court hearing Wednesday morning represented by defense attorney Dan Hodgkinson. Storm had previously been represented by the public defender's office.

Storm is charged with eight counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, four counts of aggravated kidnapping, and one count each of aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery. The aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping counts are class X felonies. If Storm is convicted, each count would carry a mandatory penalty of six to 30 years in prison.

"We are making sure that every appropriate resource we have in terms of personnel, computer technology and time are devoted to this case," Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said after the hearing Wednesday. "We will ensure that the victim receives justice in this difficult matter."

Last month, Assistant State's Attorney Tara Ferrari described the prosecution's version of events. Ferrari said Storm met with the woman, whom he knows, in a Palatine parking lot, where they spoke for about 30 minutes on the night of May 18 or early morning May 19.

As the woman went to leave, Storm grabbed her from behind and tried to kiss her, pinned her and grabbed her neck, which made her lose consciousness, according to Ferrari.

Ferrari said Storm dragged the woman to his car and drove to a business, believed to be his workplace, on the 28000 block of Commercial Avenue in Lake Barrington.

The woman was found bound to a forklift inside the business. She had been beaten and sexually assaulted by Storm, Ferrari said.

According to police accounts released Wednesday, a person entered the Lake Barrington business about 2 a.m. after receiving a call from Storm that seemed strange. Storm fled at that time, police said.

Police conducted a large manhunt for Storm, and he was apprehended some time after 8 a.m. May 19 by a Fox River Grove police officer.

Storm is next due in court on Aug. 6. He remains behind bars on $3 million bail and would need to put up $300,000 in cash to leave jail before his trial.

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