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Tanning Salon Owner Accused Of Raping Three Women

2001 Victim Speaks Out

(CBS) -- The owner of a West Loop tanning salon will be in bond court this weekend, accused of raping three women connected to the tanning salon.

WBBM spoke with a Florida woman who says Marc Winner raped her 15 years ago.

It was in the spring of 2001 at a Chicago area tanning salon.

Lesley Barton was 36 years old when Winner attacked her.

"He grabbed me and lifted me up and threw me down on the tanning bed.  And I'm saying, 'I didn't want this, what are you doing?'" she tells WBBM's Steve Miller.

"He just starts strangling me.  And he's got me pinned inside the tanning bed."

And she says she knew if she didn't relent, he would have killed her. So she stopped struggling.

"And then he raped me."

Winner was not charged with rape 15 years ago. Barton says one reason is because a prosecutor thought she should've run to a nearby house and she did not.

Now she says she is telling her story for a reason: "The most important thing here is that nobody goes into that tanning salon and gets hurt by him again -- ever."

WBBM has asked Marc Winner or his attorney for a response.

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