ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- All four suspects facing charges in the kidnapping and torture of two University of Rochester students last year were convicted Monday afternoon by a jury.
The jury began deliberations Friday morning, and began Monday with a read back of the law pertaining to kidnapping. It returned for a read back of criminal possession of a weapon. Shortly after that, jurors came back with four verdicts.
Lydell Strickland was convicted on the most serious counts -- 28 in all -- including kidnapping, gang assault, predatory sexual assault, robbery and weapons possession. David Alcarez-Ubiles was convicted of kidnapping and weapons charges. He was acquitted of an assault charge. Ruth Lora and Inalia Rolldan were convicted on kidnapping and weapons possession indictments.
Rolldan collapsed in court immediately after her verdict was read and needed medical attention, which brought a pause in proceedings.
Sentencing is set for December 21.
Inalia Rolldan's defense team tends to her after she collapsed following guilty verdict @TWCNewsROC pic.twitter.com/ZLbcFnKQQt
— Mike Hedeen (@MikeTWCNews) November 21, 2016
Ruth Lora breaks into tears ha guilty verdict read @TWCNewsROC pic.twitter.com/sszyEVeGec
— Mike Hedeen (@MikeTWCNews) November 21, 2016
They were accused of holding the two U of R students against their will at 22 Harvest Street last December. This was believed to be a case of mistaken identity and retaliation for an alleged robbery of a drug dealer that police say involved neither victim.
The two students were beaten, tortured and one of them shot during the nearly two-day ordeal.
Attorneys for all four defendants say their clients were at 22 Harvest Street at various times during the days in question, however, they argued none of their clients were involved in the kidnapping or torture.
Five other suspects had already entered guilty pleas. Some of them testified during this three-week trial.
"The best way, I guess, to think of this is a giant puzzle," said Matt Schwartz, prosecutor. "Each person's testimony and each piece of evidence was a piece of that puzzle and when it was all put together at the end of the day, they had a nice big picture of what happened on that weekend last year."
Alcarez-Ubiles' attorney, Frank Ciardi, says he'll file an appeal.
"I'm disappointed obviously but I still stand by the things I said in my closing, my opening, my client did not assault or torture or really harm anyone," Ciardi said. "He didn't, he wasn't involved in that episodes."
Four of the other five defendants who previously pleaded guilty are scheduled for sentencing on Wednesday.