Former Gymnastics Coach Jose Vilchis Sentenced to 96 Years

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced former girls’ gymnastics coach Jose Vilchis, 72, of Channahon, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Daniel Rippy to 96 years in prison for Criminal Sexual Assault against a female teenage gymnast. A jury found Vilchis guilty on June 6, 2022, of eight counts of Criminal Sexual Assault, a Class 1 felony, rendering its verdict in less than two hours following a four-day trial.

The girl’s abuse occurred in Channahon in 2013 and 2014, when Vilchis was a coach at I&M Gymnastics in Channahon. The jury also heard evidence Vilchis had engaged in sexual crimes against three other teenage girls, going back as far as 1997. At the sentencing hearing, in addition to a prepared statement by the victim, a police officer testified regarding two additional victims and another of Vilchis’ victims testified she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Vilchis in the 1990s, while he was her gymnastics coach.

“Jose Vilchis is a reprehensible sexual predator, who calculatingly used his position of trust and authority to take advantage of innocent girls,” Glasgow said. “He repeatedly preyed upon young gymnasts in private under the guise of being a caring coach. I commend these young women for their courage in coming forward and telling their stories. Although nothing can undo the damage he caused, he will spend the rest of his days in a prison cell unable to prey on anyone else.”

Vilchis will receive credit for 1,591 days served.