Harvard man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting woman, sentenced to 5 years in prison

A 37-year old Harvard man pleaded guilty Friday to criminal sexual assault and was sentenced to five years in prison.

As part of the negotiated plea, other charges filed against Mardoqueo Vasquez-Ortiz were dismissed.

He also is required to serve mandatory supervised release for three years and register as a sex offender for life, McHenry County Circuit Judge Robert Wilbrandt said.

Vasquez-Ortiz must serve at least 85% of the five-year sentence and will receive credit for the 511 days he’s spent in the McHenry County Jail.

Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Neubauer, who said the sexual assault occurred in January 2021, read a statement from the victim who wrote that her life has been “very difficult” since what she referred to as the “tragedy.”

“There have been days when I have not wanted to get out of bed,” she said.

Since the assault, she said she feels “intense fear” and suffers from anxiety. She said she feels “depressed, angry and melancholy” and fears being hurt again.

She has separated herself from others, has suffered financially and feels she is being judged for reporting the sexual assault, she said.