Man’s bail lowered in shooting case

WOODSTOCK – A judge lowered the bail Wednesday for one of the men accused of firing shots June 1 in Woodstock’s Applewood subdivision.

Judge Sharon Prather lowered Guy D. Giles’ bail to $85,000 from $200,000 after prosecutors dropped the most serious charge against him. Giles, 30, of Woodstock, allegedly threatened to kill Melvin E. Bragg’s niece and nephew if Bragg didn’t shoot at an alleged gang member’s house.

Giles allegedly shot twice into the air and handed Bragg the Charter Arms .38-caliber pistol that he used to fire about three rounds at a house, which was not the one that Giles had intended to target, authorities have said. Bragg, 25, of Woodstock, told police that both he and Giles are gang members, Assistant State’s Attorney Donna Kelly said.

Residents found a hole in the gutter of one neighborhood house and a bullet hole about 5 feet above a bed in another house.

Assistant Public Defender Rick Behof asked Prather to lower Giles’ bail to $30,000, but she declined, based on his criminal history, which includes two prison sentences. Giles remained in McHenry County Jail on Wednesday afternoon because he was unable to post the requisite $8,500.

Giles is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a firearm, intimidation, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and possession of a firearm without an owner’s identification card. Prosecutors dropped a count of armed habitual criminal – a charge that is applied if a person convicted of certain previous criminal offenses receives, sells, possesses or transfers any firearm.

Bragg was charged with possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of a firearm without an owner’s identification card, and two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm. Bragg remained in jail Wednesday afternoon because he was unable to post 10 percent of his $100,000 bail.