McHenry County Blog

Marcus Sessom's page on the Illinois Department of Corrections web site.

September 25, 2009, McHenry County Blog ran the press release from McHenry County State’s Attorney about Marcus Sessom.

Although the sentence could have been from 2-10 years, according to the release, Sessom is already back on the street.

Thanks to an alert reader for alerting me by putting a comment under the article.

I asked State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi for details and he wrote me,

“Marcus Sesson has been released.  As to the charge of Intimidation, for which he was convicted, our office refused to negotiate with the defense, went to trial and Judge (Sharon) Prather sentenced him to 2 ½ years to the Department of Corrections.

“Based upon the statutory good time, etc. (which I believe was passed to ease jail crowding) he only had to serve 9 months.

“He was given credit for time served since he was arrested on May 14, 2009 to November 9, 2009.”

District 6 is the largest in area. No Democrats are on the ballot yet, but can be put on by a vote of the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee.

After receiving this email from District 6 McHenry County Democratic Party Chair Drew Georgi, I asked if I could share it with you.

He agreed, so here it is:

Cal,

I’ve spent the last 2-3 weeks taking the names of all the government officials from the newest yellow county year book.

Do you know how many names I ended up with?

1,324!

Lets cut 100 names off the list for the Federal, State, and those holding more than one office.

That leaves 1,224! names from the school boards to the county level.

Granted quite a few are non-paying jobs but those positions don’t come for free, there are still operating expenses for those positions and boards or whatever government group they are a part of.

This does not include the actual workers like the teachers, police, firefighters, highway workers, office workers, building maintenance workers, etc.

How are the Republicans in this county cutting down big government?

Also you would be very surprised at the number of duplicate last names I found.

I’m not talking about common names like Jones or Smith tho there were quite a few of those.

Looks like there are a lot of family members spread across our county governments. Some even have the guts to flaunt it so bad as to be members of the same government board.

So how are the Republicans of this county any better than those “corrupt Chicago Democrats” with their pay to play and hiring of family when it looks like the McHenry County Republicans are making Chicago officials look like they are just playing at it when the Republicans here are the real pros at it?

Plus why are you not screaming at Lou (Bianchi), Keith (Nygren), and other elected officials when you look at their campaign filings and see that the same people that are giving them money are many of the same ones doing lots of business either with their office or the county? Again showing how they are the real pros when it comes to pay to play and keeping it on the down low so nobody hears about it.

We are cutting the average workers from our government payrolls while the top people are getting raises or are making such high salaries that they can handle a raise freeze.

How about the school Superintendent of these little two and three school districts making almost or over $200,000 a year taking a pay cut?

When I asked different school board members about this insane amount they are making, I get the song and dance that we need to be competitive with other school districts.

At the same time I watch four teachers get their pink slips and six teachers told that they will be teaching two grades in the same classroom.

For the first time since my kids started to have to take the ISAT’s, the school sent home a study guide for it so the kids will score better.

That tells me that this doubling up is not working.

Again I hear that they are doing this to increase the scores so they can keep what funding they have.

When the school board came up with this plan they told us parents that they have done this same thing in the past and the kids did not suffer, yet they could not show us any thing to back up their claims because it was before the ISAT type testing.

This is just one government controlled department.

How many others are doing the same thing of cutting staff, giving us less services, yet asking for more money?

It is time we cut out duplicate departments like the 17 township highway departments and consolidate them at the county level and maybe create a central purchasing department like we had in the Marines for every government body from the villages to the county to be a part of.

It has been when it comes to the salt for the roads, (when they get their order in on time) so why not with all the other items they all use like one big group insurance policy for all of their insurance needs from car insurance to health instead of 18 or more policies for each thing the county and local governments need to insure.

It is time that our local officials see what is going on around them and stop think that the tax payers are an endless bank. They need to make the money we give them work smarter for them.

But you never thought you would hear a Democrat saying we need to reduce government did you?

Andrew “Drew” Georgi

Five Prairie Ridge High School wrestlers were charged with misdemeanor battery for hazing other team members, an article in the Daily Herald by Chuck Keeshan reports.

The arrests were made about a month after the issue surfaced on WMAQ-TV.

In the only press release on the matter, the Crystal Lake Police Department wrote,

“The investigation has revealed that a number of wrestlers may have been involved in activities that include the restraining of wrestlers by other members of the team who then slap them on the stomach.

“Additionally, police are investigating alleged actions on the part of some members of the wrestling team that may have included certain parts of the restrained wrestlers’ private areas being touched through their clothing.”

Asked today about what happened, McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi wrote McHenry County Blog,

“Our Chief of the Criminal Division, Phil Hiscock, Chief of the Juvenile Division and Felony review, William Stanton and I met with Chief Linder and several detectives concerning the incidents at Prairie Ridge involving the Wrestling team and students.

“After our meeting at the Crystal Lake Police Department, our office re-reviewed all the police reports, discussed the facts at length and found no felonious conduct.

“Crystal Lake made the decision to charge misdemeanors and our office is supportive of that decision and those charges.”

Prosecution will take place behind closed doors in Juvenile Court.

McHenry County Blog printing Police Chief David Linder’s press release in this February 4th article entitled,

“Prairie Ridge Wrestling Hazing May Have Included Sexual Molestation”

Some of the more sanitized comments under the above article give details of the incident. (Sorry, but some of the comments were a bit too graphic for me to want to post, but I thank the posters for them anyway. It added to my knowledge of the reason for the police report.)

Rules which Crystal Lake High School District 155, Huntley School District 158 and Carpentersville School District 300 apply to coaches can be found in the following article:

“Locker Room Rules for High School Coaches, Huntley Makes Recent Changes”

The following press release has arrived from the State’s Attorney’s Office:

WOODSTOCK MAN FOUND GUILTY OF ARMED VIOLENCE FOR DOUBLE STABBING IN UNINCORPORATED CRYSTAL LAKE

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, reports that on March 4, 2010, Defendant Keith Bounds, age twenty-nine of Woodstock, Illinois, was found guilty of two counts of Armed Violence, two counts of Aggravated Battery, and one count of Mob Action by the Honorable Judge Sharon L. Prather following a three day bench trial.

The evidence presented at trial showed that the defendant initiated a physical confrontation with two Cary men after a previous argument that had occurred inside of the Suds R’ Us tavern in unincorporated Crystal Lake.

The evidence also showed that the defendant pushed one of the men outside of the bar near closing time, and shortly thereafter, stabbed him twice.  When the second man came to the aid of the first man, the defendant then stabbed him twice.  Judge Prather found that the defendant’s claim of self-defense was inconsistent with the facts, and that the defendant was the initial aggressor.

The sentencing range for Armed Violence is between ten to thirty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Ryan Blackney and Jeff Bora.

The defendant will be sentenced on May 5, 2010.

Over seven years after Brian Carrick disappeared from his job at the Johnsburg grocery store across from his home, charges have been filed against Mario Casciaro.

The investigation included the FBI, Federal Marshal’s Service, the Johnsburg Police Department and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

State’s Attorney’s Office Files Charges in Eight Year Old Carrick Cold Case

Lou Bianchi

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, reports that on February 25, 2010, the Grand Jury returned a six-count Bill of Indictment against Defendant Mario Casciaro, charging him with First Degree Murder (five counts) and Concealment of a Homicidal Death.

The Indictment alleges that on or about December 20, 2002, Mario Casciaro, or one whose conduct he is legally accountable for, while committing the forcible felony offenses of Intimidation, Unlawful Restraint, and Mob Action, struck Brian Carrick in the head and thereby caused his death.

The Indictment further alleges that Mario Casciaro concealed the death of Brian Carrick with knowledge that Carrick died by homicidal means.

The offense of First Degree Murder carries a fixed term sentencing range of 20-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections with no day for day / good time credit to apply.

The offense of Concealment of a Homicidal Death is a Class 3 Felony which carries a sentencing range of 2-5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.  By statute, the penalty for this offense must be imposed separately and in addition to the penalty for First Degree Murder.

Defendant Mario Casciaro was apprehended in Fox Lake, IL on February 26, 2010 at approximately 4:30 p.m. by the Johnsburg Police Department. He is being held on a $5 million dollar bond.

The above-referenced charges resulted from the joint and collective investigatory efforts of the FBI (Casey J. Solana, Acting Supervisor for the Rockford office and Special Agent Randy L. Sealby), the Johnsburg Police Department (Chief Rydberg and Detective Keith VonAllmen), the U.S. Marshal’s Service – Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office (Ron Salgado, Chief of Investigations).

The length of the investigation totaled more than seven years.

The charges against the defendant are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Map of Algonquin Township showing precincts. Algonquin Township has more people than any of the sixteen other townships in McHenry County.

The fourth generation of a Cary political family has stepped to the fore to lead the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee.

Rebecca Lee, daughter of Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Bob Miller and County Board member Anna May Miller, was elected to head the organization. Her grandfather and great-grandfather also serve as township highway commissioner.

Vice Chairman will continue to be Tom McDermott of Crystal Lake.

Mark Gerhardt from Downtown Algonquin will serve as secretary.

Rounding out the leadership team is McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Demetrios Tsilimigras.

Lee, Gerhardt and Tsilimigras are all attorneys. All have worked at one time or another as assistant state’s attorneys in McHenry County. Gerhardt has also served in Cook County’s office. Tsilimigras worked for the Kane County State’s Attorney before coming to work for Lou Bianchi.

Both Gerhardt and Tsilimigras were elected precinct committeeman for the first time February 2nd.

McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon, a precinct committeeman in Algonquin Township, but in Springfield for mid-week, asked for an indication committeemen support for 16th Congressional District State Central Committeeman candidates. Tryon said he would support whomever the majority supported at the annual convention, according to Karla Dobbeck, the woman who was head of the township central committee until stepping down last night.

Incumbent State Senator Dave Syverson is facing off against challenger Joe Wiegand.

With 27 committeemen present, only seven indicated a preference.

The vote was six for Wiegand and one for Syverson.

Cal Skinner spoke in favor of Wiegand. Dobbeck said she was Syverson’s chairwoman and represented him in McHenry County, while the state senator covered the Rockford area and points west.

Skinner said he had not seen Syverson in McHenry County since he had rejoined the central committee two years ago. He pointed out that Wiegand was familiar with the political arena having run unsuccessfully for state representative twice, having served on the DeKalb County Board and, while there, having spearheaded the referendum to impose the Property Tax Cap over the strong objections of local governments and school districts.

The following press release has been received from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

Man Found Guilty of Felony Domestic Battery

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that a McHenry County jury found Michael S. Braun guilty of the felony offense of Domestic Battery on February 18, 2010 following a three day trial.

The Defendant was charged with physically assaulting his girlfriend by grabbing her around the neck and throwing her over an office chair.

Following the guilty verdict, Judge Joseph Joseph Condon revoked the Defendant’s bond until the future sentencing date of April 1, 2010.

Due to a prior domestic battery conviction, Defendant faces a sentence of probation or one to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Defendant faces an additional charge of Harassment of a Witness stemming from an April 2008 arrest–that charge is currently pending.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Sharyl Eisenstein and Kirk Chrzanowski.

This case further highlights Louis Bianchi’s aggressive stance against domestic violence.

The press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office shows that the campaign against drunk drivers in this area is going full speed ahead.

SIXTH TIME DUI OFFENDER SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS PRISON

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, is pleased to announce that Kevin M. O’Reilly was sentenced to 7 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections as a result of his sixth DUI violation.

The defendant was previously found guilty by a McHenry County Jury following a three day trial.

Testimony at the trial revealed that a McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy was traveling southbound on East Wonder Lake Road in Wonder Lake when he observed the defendant’s truck weaving and traveling northbound in his lane of traffic.

The squad car was forced off the highway in order to avoid a collision.  O’Reilly refused to submit to field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer.  During a search of the Defendant’s vehicle, police discovered a water bottle that smelled of alcohol.

During the sentencing hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Blackney introduced evidence of a 2005 DUI arrest showing that the defendant was involved in a crash resulting in an injured passenger.

Evidence at the hearing also demonstrated that the defendant had never spent any time in jail as a result of his prior DUI offenses.  Mr. Blackney asked that the defendant be sentenced to between 10 – 15 years in the Department of Corrections.  Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Combs also assisted in the Jury Trial.

The booth of McHenry County Sheriff's candidate Mike Mahon turned up right next to the booth of McHenry County State's Attornrey Lou Bianchi's. Bianchi is a Republican. McMahon is the Democratic Party's candidate this fall.

Just a coincidence, I’m sure.

= = = = =

Thanks to a friend of McHenry County Blog for having sharp eyes for irony and a camera.  Naturally, I was in my Algonquin Township Precinct 7 in Crystal Lake and Lakewood passing out literature.  There was also someone passing out Ken Koehler literature and a new Donna Kurtz door hanger.

The following press release has been received from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

PHILIP HISCOCK APPOINTED NEW ACTING CHIEF OF THE CRIMINAL DIVISION FOR THE STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, is pleased to announce that Assistant State’s Attorney Philip Hiscock  has been promoted to Acting Chief of the Criminal Division for the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, effective February 17, 2010.

Hiscock is a seasoned Felony Prosecutor previously assigned to the Special Prosecution Unit of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.  He was admitted by the Supreme Court of Illinois as a member of the Capital Litigation Trial Bar in 2008.

Philip Hiscock is a 1996 graduate of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and a 1999 graduate of DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.

He served in the United States Army Reserves from 1996 to 2008, initially as an infantry officer and later as a trial attorney and legal advisor.

Prior to his arrival at the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Hiscock served as a felony prosecutor in DuPage County and as trial attorney handling complex civil litigation at a Chicago based law firm.