Wisconsin man gets 3-year term for hate crime

[kweerwolf]

A Wisconsin man was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for his role in a June attack on two teenage girls in a state park near Zion.

Aaron Rush, 20, of Green Bay pleaded guilty to a hate crime in a plea deal accepted by Lake County Circuit Judge Fred Foreman. Patrick Langballe, 29, of the 3300 block of Illinois Highway 83, Lake Villa, who was charged with a hate crime for joining Rush in the attack, also pleaded guilty Monday.

But Langballe rejected the prosecution's offer of three years in prison, said Assistant State's Atty. Eric Kalata. Langballe is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 26 and could get up to five years in prison, according to Kalata.

Langballe and Rush met the girls, 17 and 18, at Illinois Beach State Park on June 16 after meeting them near a Milwaukee bus stop. Rush made advances to one girl and was told she was involved with the other girl, authorities said.

Langballe and Rush told the girls they were members of the Nazi nation and did not approve of homosexual relationships, according to authorities. The men beat the girls and stole money, credit cards, a camera and cell phones.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/nearnorthwest/chi-0509270199sep27,1,4128803.story