A 28-year-old man who threatened police officers while he was barricaded inside his Lake in the Hills home in February has been sentenced to prison.
Garrett C. Kowalczyk accepted a deal from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office on Thursday and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a peace officer in connection with the Feb. 8 police standoff. McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge sentenced Kowalczyk to 1½ years in prison.
The charge stemmed from threats Kowalczyk made toward the officers who responded to his home in the 100 block of Harvest Gate for a report of an intoxicated man.
When police arrived, Kowalczyk allegedly told officers, “I have a gun” and “I’ll shoot you,” according to the criminal complaint.
Kowalczyk did not display a weapon, and authorities found no firearms when they later searched the man’s home.
In exchange for Kowalczyk’s guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed additional charges, including threatening a public official, resisting a peace officer, and criminal damage to property.
If he had been convicted of threatening a public official, Kowalczyk would have faced between two and five years in prison.
