McHenry County Blog

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

HUGH McGINLEY “SOVEREIGN CITIZEN” CONVICTED OF CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE

Presumed home location.

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Hugh McGinley of Woodstock was convicted of Criminal Trespass to a Residence following a January 3, 2012 jury trial.

The evidence at trial revealed that on June 15, 2011 deputies from the sheriff’s department responded to a trespassing complaint at 10403 Arabian Trail [presumably north of the intersection of Route 120, Greenwood and Charles Roads with a Woodstock post office].

The owner of the residence advised police that Hugh McGinley, a former tenant who had been evicted in September 2010, illegally moved back inside the home.

The evidence further revealed that McGinley had changed the locks on the residence and placed no trespassing signs on the home.

He further told the deputies that all McHenry County judges were not doing their job correctly and needed to be arrested.

He claimed that he was a “sovereign citizen” and that the members of the jury were not his peers.

He also asserted a right to remain in the home and claimed that he was not bound to obey the court order which evicted him.

This case was investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Maggie Tracz and Randi Freese.

From the Crystal Lake Police Department:

James R. Hanson

Last night James R Henson escaped from McHenry County Sheriff’s custody while in transport near the area of Terra Cotta Ave at Hillside in Crystal Lake.

The area around Hillside and Terra Cotta

The subject was taken into custody this morning by the Crystal Lake Police Department without incident and subsequently custody was turned over to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.

More from the CL Police Department:

Prisoner who escaped from the back of McHenry County Squad on October 19th was captured this morning.

On October 19, 2011 at approximately 7:39 P.M. James R. Henson escaped from a Sheriff’s Office squad by kicking out the rear passenger window. This occurred in the area of Hillside Road and Walkup Road, Crystal Lake. A thorough search was performed in the immediate area, but Henson was not located.

Hillside and Walkup

On October 20, 2011 at approximately 8:30 A.M. Henson was taken into custody by members of the Crystal Lake Police Department and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office. Henson was arrested near the area of the McHenry County Conservation District Prairie Trail bike path. The Sheriff’s Office also received assistance from the McHenry County Conservation District.

After receiving the above from Crystal Lake’s Police Department, the following arrived from the Sheriff’s Department:

Sheriff Keith Nygren announced that at approximately 5:54 P.M. on October 19, 2011, Sheriff’s deputies from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded to a trespassing complaint in the 4000 block of Terra Cotta Road, Crystal Lake, Illinois.

The property owner contacted the Sheriff’s Office with a complaint that person(s) may be illegally occupying their barn.

An investigation revealed that James R. Henson was inside the barn without legal justification.

Henson was arrested for criminal trespass to real property, burglary, possession of burglary tools, and criminal damage to property.

At approximately 7:39 P.M. Henson escaped from a Sheriff’s Office squad by kicking out the rear passenger window.

This occurred in the area of Hillside Road and Walkup Road, Crystal Lake.

A thorough search was performed in the immediate area, but Henson was not located.

On October 20, 2011 at approximately 8:30 A.M. Henson was taken into custody by members of the Crystal Lake Police Department and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

Henson was arrested near the area of the McHenry County Conservation District Prairie Trail bike path.

The Sheriff’s Office also received assistance from the McHenry County Conservation District.

Additional details into this investigation will be forthcoming.

A phone message from Crystal Lake District 47 Supt. Don Mendoza came at 7:08 AM and was caught on our answering machine.

He told parents of

• the escaped prisoner,
• that he was handcuffed,
• that there would be an increased presence at all school,
• that there would be no outdoor activity today and
• that children would be kept indoors before and after school.