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.