Bolingbrook man sentenced to 60 years for brutal 2008 rape

January 15

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a 35-year-old Bolingbrook man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for the brutal sexual assault of a woman in 2008.

A jury found Ferlimo Morris guilty of one count each of aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault and unlawful restraint. He was sentenced on Friday by Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes.

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. She pounded on a neighbor’s door, and the neighbor called 911 from that house.

Assistant State’s Attorneys Matt Guzman and Chris Messina 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. 

“Ferlimo Morris committed an act of unspeakable brutality against a woman who should have been safe inside her own home,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “Thanks to a first-rate investigation by the Bolingbrook Police Department and excellent trial work by my two prosecutors, this vicious thug likely will spend the rest of his days in prison.”