MONROE, N.C. — Luis Miguel Vail-Lopez, 22, was sentenced Tuesday to a prison term of 73 to 148 months after being found guilty of second-degree forcible rape and simple assault. Vail-Lopez’s conviction stems from a violent attack on a 19-year-old woman in Monroe on September 19, 2022. Prosecutors reported that Vail-Lopez stalked the victim near Engleside Street before dragging her to an abandoned property where he raped her. DNA evidence and cellphone location data helped authorities connect him to the crime.
District Attorney Trey Robison commended the victim for her bravery in testifying against her attacker, emphasizing her courage in facing him in court.
Vail-Lopez was arrested on September 23, 2022, following his identification in the assault, and was also charged with another violent attack that occurred earlier that month. In that incident, the victim suffered severe injuries.
