08/04/2026
Thank you Kathy Easton for your support of the victim of this horrendous crime and your tireless work for justice. Vote for Kathy Easton for Illinois State Representative!
Today, after more than 18 months and 19 court appearances, the man who brutally attacked and r***d a 76-year-old woman on a Rockford bike path was sentenced to 27 years in prison.
I sat in that courtroom month after month because victims deserve to know someone is standing with them. As a woman, as a grandmother, and as someone running for State Representative, this case has stayed with me from the very beginning.
No sentence can erase the physical and emotional trauma this woman will carry for the rest of her life. While justice was handed down today, her life was forever changed.
This defendant was in our country illegally after being transported here from California because we are a sanctuary state. That raises serious questions about the policies that failed to protect our communities.
And yet, where is the outrage? Where are the public statements from our local leaders? Where are the voices that so often speak about protecting women? Why isn’t our community outraged? . I left that courtroom asking myself: if this had been your grandmother, your mother, or your wife, would we be talking about it differently?
Illinois must put victims first. We need stronger enforcement of our immigration laws, real accountability, and a justice system that prioritizes public safety over politics. I also believe the SAFE-T Act has failed Illinois and should be repealed and replaced with policies that give judges the tools they need to protect our communities while respecting constitutional rights.
We cannot undo what happened to this courageous woman. But we can honor her by refusing to accept the status quo. Silence is not leadership. Looking the other way is not compassion. The people of Illinois deserve a leader who will stand up, speak out, and fight for safer communities every single day.
