States Attorney
DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett announced today that charges of Home Invasion, Aggravated Unlawful Restraint and Armed Violence have been filed against Rodrigo Moreno, 6441 S. Sacremento Avenue, Chicago and Gerardo Rodriguez, 6210 S. Francisco, Chicago. The charges stem from a September 22, 2005 incident in Oak Brook in which a woman was assaulted by knifepoint while parked in the garage of her home.
At approximately 10 a.m. on September 22nd, the victim was in her vehicle when Moreno, wearing a stocking cap, allegedly reached into her vehicle from the driver’s side with a knife. It is further alleged that after another individual, identified as Rodriguez, joined Moreno, the victim was taken from her vehicle and ordered to open the door of her home. The victim then told her assailants that she had left the keys to her home in her vehicle. As one of her assailants went to the vehicle to retrieve her keys, the victim fought off the second man and fled the scene.
An investigation of the incident, led by Detective Strockis of the Oak Brook Police Department led to the charging of these two individuals.
“The defendants in this case are alleged to have attacked their victim where she felt the most secure, in her home,” commented State’s Attorney Birkett. “People have the right to feel safe in their homes. We have alleged that these two men took away that right. This kind of brazen criminal conduct is intolerable and I intend to prosecute these two men to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Two Chicago Men Charged With Home Invasion
State’s Attorney Birkett also praised the efforts of the Oak Brook Police Department. “I would like to commend the Oak Brook Police Department in their fine police work in getting these two very dangerous men off the streets as well as Assistant State’s Attorney Bob Dore who provided timely legal advice to the investigators.”
The next court date for both defendants, who are currently being held on $500,000 bond each, is November 14.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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