Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a man who pleaded guilty to raping two women on or near the I&M Canal path two years ago has received the maximum sentence of 80 years in prison.
Circuit Judge David Carlson sentenced Miguel Luna, 37, on Monday. Luna, who pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in May, faced between 32 and 80 years in prison.
Luna attacked his first victim between Brandon Road and Larkin Avenue on Sept. 6, 2015. In this case, Luna jumped off a bike, tackled the woman from behind, dragged her into the woods, and tied her up. He repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim during the more than 90 minutes he held her captive.
Another woman was attacked near the I&M Canal path in a similar manner around 8 a.m. on May 21, 2016 while she was running along the Frontage Road near Interstate 55. The defendant, who was had a ski mask, sunglasses, and surgical gloves, grabbed the victim from behind, put her into a chokehold, and tied her hands with shoelaces under the I-55 viaduct. He sexually assaulted her and left her tied under the viaduct. She eventually was able to free herself.
In both cases, he indicated he was armed with a knife, but he never brandished one.
The suspect was identified during the investigation of a third sexual assault of another woman that occurred on May 18, 2016. The defendant, who also knew this woman’s friend, tied up his victim and sexually assaulted her in a secluded area near Brandon Road. The victim’s friend later identified Luna for police. After Luna was identified in connection with this case, DNA testing would conclusively link him to the other two sexual assaults.
The third victim, however, recently died; charges related to her case were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea in the other two cases.
“Miguel Luna repeatedly committed the most vicious sexual assaults against innocent, unsuspecting women in a recreation area that people from throughout the region should be able to enjoy in absolute safety,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “This ruthlessly violent predator terrorized our community and destroyed our sense of safety and security. He will spend the rest of his life behind cold steel prison bars where he will never, ever be able to attack an innocent woman again.”
Luna, who had entered the United States illegally, was living in the 1400 block of Winifred Street in Joliet at the time of the offenses.
State’s Attorney Glasgow praised the Illinois State Police, the Will County Sheriff’s Detectives, and Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley for their dogged work on this investigation as well as Assistant State’s Attorneys Mary Fillipitch and Kelly Tebo, who secured the guilty plea and sentence.