Rapist Who Found Victims Through Escort Ads Sentenced to 20 Years

The man who arranged to meet women offering "escort" services online and then attacked them in Westchester hotels has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced.

Silvio Raul Illescas, 41, of 79 N. Goodwin Ave., Elmsford, pleaded guilty in January 2014 to charges relating to four violent sexual assaults in the Town of Greenburgh, the Village of Tarrytown and City of Yonkers:

• two counts of Predatory Sexual Assault, class “A-2” Felonies,
• one count of Rape in the First Degree, a class “B” Felony,
• one count of Assault in the Second Degree, a class “D” Felony

Illescas grabbed his first rape victim off the street, according to the DA's office. 

He picked his next victim by responding to an escort ad that the victim posted on "backpage.com", an internet bulletin board. As well as the attack—at gunpoint at the Westchester Marriott—he stole three cell phones from the victim. 

Then he used one of the stolen cell phones and called another woman who had posted a similar ad.

He met her at the DoubleTree in Tarrytown and demanded sex without a condom at knifepoint. As she was stabbed and sexually assaulted, the victim got away and was found bleeding in the hall. 

Then he used another of the stolen phones to call another woman advertising services on backpack.com. He met her at the La Quinta Hotel and raped her at knifepoint.

Greenburgh police were contacted immediately after each incident and initiated an investigation. Detectives from the Greenburgh Police Department and the Tarrytown Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department working closely with the Sex Crimes Bureau of the DA’s office and forensic work by the Westchester County Lab in Valhalla were instrumental developing a suspect.

Illescas was arrested by Greenburgh police on March 4, 2013, the DA's office said.