Man sentenced to 40 years in prison for rape in motel north of South Bend

SOUTH BEND — A judge handed down a 40-year sentence today to a 21-year-old man who admitted to the brutal rape of a Motel 6 visitor. Dillion Yakym pleaded guilty to rape, a Class A felony, shortly before his trial was scheduled to start in February. As part of the agreement, the state dismissed two counts of criminal deviate conduct and one count of battery in connection with the January 2009 incident. The incident took place at Motel 6, 52624 Indiana 933, just north of Roseland, when Yakym knocked on the door of the victim’s room and said he was a security guard with the motel. Yakym then ransacked the room and proceeded to beat and sexually assault the victim, according to past reports. He reportedly held the woman inside the room for some time before she was able to escape. At his sentencing today, Yakym’s defense attorney asked St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Jerome Frese to give Yakym the advisory sentence of 30 years. Attorney Anthony Luber cited drugs and alcohol as a main contributor to Yakym’s offense and said the young man has taken full responsibility for his crime. Deputy prosecutor Liz Hurley asked Frese to sentence Yakym to 40 years in prison, describing the particularly violent nature of the man’s crime and Yakym’s significant criminal history. Frese called Yakym’s crime "outrageous." "It’s the terror of any woman in this country who goes to a hotel," the judge said. "You became a living nightmare to this woman." Frese sentenced Yakym to an executed 40 years in prison, adding that he did not think it would be appropriate to suspend any of the time. Stay with southbendtribune.com for updates to this story