A Denver serial rapist will be sentenced to 120 years to life this fall after pleading guilty to numerous sexual assaults. Michael Lollis, 44, sexually assaulted women from December 2004 to July 2005, however, his DNA was only linked to all of the crimes in January of last year. Lollis' DNA was linked to 3 assaults in Denver and six assaults in Arapahoe County after Colorado changed its laws to require that all felons must surrender their DNA. Lollis was convicted of forgery back in 2007, triggering the DNA requirement.
Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said about the plea, "I'm really proud on a day like today that one, we caught him, (and) two, he pleaded guilty to 120 years to life. We didn't have to have a trial; we didn't have to put numerous victims of sex assault through repeating what happened to them in front of strangers and jurors."
The Denver sexual assaults took place in the Capitol Hill, Country Club, north Washington Park and Mayfair neighborhoods. Lollis has yet to enter a plea for six assaults in Arapahoe County.
Morrissey said under the agreement in Denver, Lollis would likely be eligible for parole in 60 years -- when he is 104 years old.
During the attacks Lollis concealed his identity by wearing a ski mask to cover his face. Denver police could not have identified and arrested Lollis if not for the DNA match from the national database.
"Lollis is one of the most prolific sexual predators we have seen in our community in the last few years. This is another example of how good police work and DNA technology helps bring sexual predators to justice," Morrissey said.
He added Lollis would have likely been located sooner under a new Colorado law that takes effect next year.
Katie's Law will allow law enforcement to take DNA samples in connection with serious (and not so serious) felonies at arrest. Rape, burglary, and forgery are three of the crimes it will apply to. Lollis' arrest on forgery charges back in 2003 would have triggered Katie's Law if it had been in effect.
According to Morrissey, "there would've been five women who got sexually assaulted that wouldn't have been sexually assaulted if we would've had a arrestee statute like we have now at the time in 2004."
Lollis' sentencing date will be either September 30 or November 13.
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