Accused Rapist Ran from the Law for Almost 30 Years

A man wanted in a 1984 rape case was found to be living under another name in Oak Lawn and was apprehended by the Cook County Sheriff’s Warrant Unit last week.

Sheriff Thomas J. Dart said in a statement issued Thursday that the Sheriff’s Central Warrant Unit learned that Manuel Acosta, 47, was using the alias of Manuel Soto Galvan and lived in the 4000 block of West Wainwright Place in Oak Lawn. Investigators arrived on the morning of Oct. 5 to the Oak Lawn address and arrested him without incident.

Acosta is one of three men accused of sexually assaulting a woman by force in a van in Chicago. The incident was reported in November 1984. A warrant was issued for Acosta’s arrest in June 1985 for criminal sexual assault and violation of bail bond.

Acosta is being held without bail at Cook County Jail. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 17.

The other two suspects in this case, Jose Contreas, 56, and Amancio Salinas, 48, also have outstanding arrest warrants. Sheriff Dart asks anyone with information about their whereabouts to call the Central Warrant Unit at 708-865-4902.