From the State’s Attorney:
CESAR C. ORTIZ SENTENCED TO THIRTEEN YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announces that Cesar C. Ortiz, 40, of Harvard, Illinois was sentenced to 13 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) after pleading guilty to one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, a Class X felony.
The sentence was handed down as part of a negotiated plea by the Honorable Judge Tiffany E. Davis.
On the evening of January 18, 2023, after an argument, Ortiz pulled out a knife and threatened his roommate after she ended their dating relationship.
He then took the woman’s phone and prevented her from leaving.
While keeping her at knife point, Ortiz then sexually assaulted the woman.
To protect herself from further attacks, she remained in the home overnight.
Once Ortiz left for work, she went to the Harvard Police Department to report the assault.
A thorough investigation conducted by the Harvard Police Department resulted in the recovery of the knife used during the assault.
Further forensic testing connected Ortiz to the crime.
Truth-in-Sentencing will require that Ortiz serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence prior to being released from the custody of IDOC. Upon release, Ortiz will be placed on Mandatory Supervised Release for a period of between three years and his natural life.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick D. Kenneally commends the victim for her bravery in reporting this heinous attack and thanks the Harvard Police Department and Illinois State Police Forensic Science Laboratory for their work in this comprehensive investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Brodersen.
