Bolingbrook man convicted of brutal 2008 rape; faces up to 60 years in prison

August 7

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a 35-year-old Bolingbrook man has been convicted of the brutal sexual assault of a woman in 2008.

A jury returned with a guilty verdict late Thursday night against Fermilo Morris, who faces up to 60 years in prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 15. He was convicted of one count each of aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault and unlawful restraint.

Morris was living in the basement of the Bolingbrook house that the victim shared with her boyfriend. The victim’s boyfriend had invited Morris to live there temporarily.

On Aug. 30, 2008, while the victim’s boyfriend was spending the night away with his children from a previous relationship, Morris returned home after an evening of drinking beer and cognac. He went to the victim’s bedroom, struck her in the face and sexually assaulted her for the next four hours. Throughout the ordeal, he also continued to drink and smoke crack cocaine.

The frightened victim fled the house when Morris left her alone to go to the bathroom. She pounded on a neighbor’s door, and the neighbor called 911 from that house.

“This cowardly sexual predator committed a crime of iniquitous brutality against a woman who had an absolute right to be safe inside her own home,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “Her brave testimony at trial has enabled us to remove this diabolical thug from our community for a long, long time.”

Assistant State’s Attorneys Matt Guzman and Chris Messina also entered into evidence at trial a tape of the frantic 911 call made by the victim’s neighbor as well as critical DNA evidence that proved the defendant’s guilt. DNA tests showed that the victim bled on Morris’ shirt after he struck her in the face. 

“The Bolingbrook Police Department went the extra mile in this investigation, giving my two excellent prosecutors the tools necessary to convict this vile reprobate,” Glasgow said.