St. Paul, MN gang rape suspects held

Yancarlos Avile, 25, Jose Portillo, 27, and Jose Perez-Rodriguez, 18, have been charged with 1st and 3rd degree CSC for the rape of a 21 year old woman on April 27. Officers went to an apartment in St. Paul where the woman where the woman reported the rape. Additional officers arrived to detain the men.

The victim said one of her assailants, whom she did not previously know, had offered to give her a ride home at a party. She went with him, and he stopped at a nearby apartment to ”get his keys.” Two of his friends followed and went with them. They arrived at his apartment, where the three men allegedly forced penetration on her. She was able to escape out the back door to a friend’s apartment.

The victim said there were other people in the apartment – who did not come to help her, even though she was crying for help.

When questioned, Perez-Rodriguez said the girl asked for $50 and admitted having sex with her at Portilla’s apartment. He said the other two men followed, having sex with the woman. He said he grabbed her arm and she fell against the bathtub.

Aviles admitted having sex with the woman, saying she agreed to it. He told police he felt bad for using physical force on her, and that someone said she was paid for.

Portillo told police he had sex with the girl and paid her $60. He said he was the third one to have sex with her.

Police questioned the victim, who identified the panties she wore before the rape as those in Portillo's pocket. They also found used condoms on the floor. All suspects face 1st and 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct charges, charges which carry a minimum sentence of 12 years and a maximum sentence of 45 years is prison and a $70,000 fine.