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

CRYSTAL LAKE MAN SENTENCED TO 19 YEARS FOR AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING AND ATTEMPTED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT

Steven Hess

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Steven W. Hess, 57, of Crystal Lake, was sentenced to 19 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offenses of Aggravated Kidnapping and Attempted Criminal Sexual Assault. The defendant will be legally required to serve 85% of his sentence.

On December 9, 2009, the defendant confronted his ex-girlfriend, a 53 year old Crystal Lake woman, at her place of employment.

He was able to convince her to get into his car, whereupon he tied a rope around her neck, tied her wrists together with plastic zip ties and drove her to a vacant store where he served as a property manager.

The defendant attempted to force the victim into the basement of the vacant store by striking her with his fists and spraying her face with pepper spray.

Steven Hess

A bystander, who was driving in the area, shouted at the defendant allowing the victim to flee to a nearby business.

The police responded to the area, searched the basement and discovered a makeshift bed, pre-tied ropes, twist ties, knives and other items indicating that the defendant planned to commit a sexual assault.

The defendant was located the following morning after the car that he used to transport the victim was found burning in a field in unincorporated Woodstock.

The defendant later confessed that he intended to have sex with the victim and to post the assault on the internet.

This matter was investigated by Det. Houlihan, Det. Ford, Det. Nystrom and Det. Will of the Crystal Lake Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Blackney.