3 TEENS GET TOTAL OF 610 YEARS IN PRISON

Three teenagers responsible for a rape and robbery spree a veteran
prosecutor dubbed the "Riverwest reign of terror" were sentenced
Tuesday to prison terms of 100, 220 and 290 years.

The attacks, which included an assault so torturous that the victim
begged her assailants to kill her, left Circuit Judge Timothy G. Dugan
wondering "how human beings could do things like this to other human
beings."

"These are almost inconceivable acts," said Assistant District
Attorney Norman A. Gahn. "These are things I can't even envision going
on."

Sentenced one by one after they jointly listened to three weeping
victims, the assailants included a boy who was 14 at the time of the
spree, a teenager who also is suspected of involvement in more than 30
robberies and a teen dubbed by his attorney as "a follower" who
thought the main instigator was "cool."

"It's been almost a year and I still have nightmares," a young woman
who was raped and robbed told Dugan. "What they did to me and my
friend is beyond understanding."

Another victim, who was attacked and raped on the night she was
celebrating her 18th birthday, told the judge, "It sickens me that at
the ages of 14 and 17 they could commit these acts over and over again."

Nineteen-year-old Tyrone D. Munson, termed the most culpable by Gahn,
was sentenced to 290 years. David M. Reese, now 15, was sentenced to
220 years. Jerome Wilson Jr., 18, was sentenced to 100 years for his
role in one of the attacks.

The defendants pleaded guilty to a variety of robbery, sexual assault
and kidnapping charges earlier this summer.

The first kidnapping and rape involved Munson and Wilson and occurred
after the two spotted the woman celebrating her birthday, approaching
a friend's home in the 2900 block of N. Bremen St. about 10 p.m. Nov.
23. After threatening her with a gun, the attackers knocked her down,
then took turns raping her.

The second attack was Nov. 29, when Munson and Reese attacked a woman
as she walked in the 2700 block of N. Bremen St. The assailants, one
armed with a knife and the other with a gun, robbed, partially
disrobed and stabbed the victim before she was able to escape.

The final attack occurred later that night when Reese and Munson,
again armed with a gun and a knife, saw their final two victims
walking in the 2800 block of N. Holton St. Munson and Reese separately
assaulted the women, then traded victims.

One of the women was then dragged into a basement where she was
repeatedly raped and assaulted in a variety of ways by Reese and
Munson. The two repeatedly punched and slapped the woman to silence
her when she cried out in agony.

At one point the woman begged Reese and Munson, "Just kill me," as she
was dragged back outside.

Even the assailants' defense attorneys had difficulty explaining the
assaults.

"It's impossible to defend the conduct," said Steven R. Kohn, attorney
for Munson.

"It's one of the most horrific things I've ever read about," said
Robert K. Kuhnmuench, attorney for Reese.

Munson, whose girlfriend recently gave birth to his daughter, told
Dugan, "When I was out there, your honor, I committed a lot of violent
crimes. But I can't say it was me because I was under the influence of
alcohol."

Reese, who appeared "bored and aloof" to a presentence investigator
and once expected probation for his role, said, "I'd like to get on
with my life. I'd like to go to high school. I'd like to have a family
and kids."

Wilson, who was sentenced last, told Dugan, "I just hope the court can
be lenient toward me."

Checked-by: Patrick Henry