Polish national convicted in suburban Chicago rape

Taduez Slusarz, a Polish national in his 50s who was convicted of criminal sexual assault, which is a Class 1 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, begged for mercy while his victim, who was 20 during the 1999 attack, recounted how Slusarz robbed her of her dignity after the rape.

The sexual assault occurred at a party in Slusarz’s home in 1999 after she passed out drunk. He was caught in the act by his daughter in law, the victim’s best friend. Slusarz jumped bail and evaded authorities for 7 years before FBI agents caught him last year.

The victim, in the immediate aftermath of the attack, closed herself off from friends, had trouble sleeping, and blamed herself. She thought she had put the episode behind her, then the trial started and she testified.

"That little old man ... has once again taken my dignity," she said. Though raised to believe in the innate goodness of people, she said, "There is one man I cannot believe comes from anything good," namely Slusarz.

Longtime employers were brought to the stand to testify as character witnesses for Slusarz.

Palos Park real estate broker Wayne O'Day said he had known Slusarz for a dozen years and relied on him to do maintenance work at apartment buildings he owned. He called him a "stand-up person" with "an incredible, strong work ethic."

"He's not an evil man," O'Day said. He said Slusarz's flight from justice and conviction did not change his opinion.

Slusarz's attorney, John Eannace, noted that aside from his recent conviction and a pair of drunken driving convictions from the 1990s, his client's record since he arrived in the United States in 1986 is clean. Although he denies it, Slusarz may have a drinking problem, and his judgment may have been impaired by his drinking the night of the rape, Eannace said.

"He is not likely to commit another crime," Eannace said.