DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and St. Charles
Chief of Police James Keegan announced
today that two male juveniles have been charged with starting a three-alarm
fire at the former Pheasant Run resort on North Avenue. Two additional male
juveniles have each been charged with trespassing at the resort as well. Each
of the juveniles appeared at a detention hearing this morning with their
parents where Judge Anthony Coco ordered that the two charged with starting the
fire, one from Carol Stream and one from Wheaton, be detained, while the other
two, one from Carol Stream and one from Winfield, be released to the custody of
their parents on home detention. The detained juveniles have each been charged
with one count of Arson (Class 2 Felony), one count of Burglary (Class 2
Felony), one count of Criminal Damage to Property (Class 4 Felony) and three
counts of Criminal Trespass to a Building (Class B Misdemeanor). The two boys
who were released to their parents’ custody have each been charged with two
counts of Criminal Trespass to a Building. The boys’ ages range
from fourteen to seventeen years old.
On May 21, 2022, at approximately 4:41
p.m., the St. Charles Police Department and the St. Charles Fire Department
responded to the former Pheasant Run resort located at 4051 E. Main Street, for
multiple reports of a structure fire. Upon their arrival, authorities found large
sections of the resort engulfed in flames. More than one hundred firefighters
from more than twenty-five fire departments were called to ultimately
extinguish the blaze. The St. Charles Police and Fire Departments, the State
Fire Marshall and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives immediately
initiated an investigation into the fire. Following the investigation, it is
alleged that the four juveniles illegally entered the property at the former resort.
It is alleged that once inside, two of the juveniles were involved in setting papers
on fire at two separate locations. It is further alleged that the two juveniles
left the area where they had set the papers on fire without extinguishing the
fire. Charges were filed against the four juveniles on Monday, July 25, 2022.
The following day, the two juveniles facing the more serious charges turned
themselves into authorities to await their detention hearing. The remaining two
juveniles were notified of the charges against them and appeared in court this
morning.
“For
days, one hundred and seven firefighters from twenty-six fire departments put
their lives in danger to control and ultimately extinguish a massive fire that
heavily damaged the former Pheasant Run resort in St. Charles,” Berlin said. “It
is alleged that the actions of these juveniles progressed from misdemeanor trespassing
and vandalism to much more serious and potentially deadly felony criminal charges.
Thankfully, no one sustained serious injury while battling the fire allegedly
set in this case. The investigation into what
happened at Pheasant Run was extremely thorough and I commend the St. Charles
Police and Fire Departments along with the State Fire Marshall and the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their painstaking and collaborative
efforts which allowed us to file today’s charges. I also thank Assistant
State’s Attorneys Helen Kapas, Alyssa Rabulinski and Nick Catizone for their outstanding
efforts the past two months on this case.”
“These arrests are the direct result
of the hard work, determination and collective efforts of members of the St.
Charles Police and Fire Departments, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives and The Office of the State Fire Marshall,” Keegan said.
“Together, with assistance from DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin’s office,
investigators tirelessly pieced together a solid criminal case, thereby holding
those criminally responsible to answer for their conduct.”
The
next court appearance for the two detained juveniles is scheduled for August 1,
2022, in front of Judge Coco. The next court appearance for the remaining two
juveniles is scheduled for August 10, 2022, also in front of Judge Coco.
Members
of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not
proof of the defendants’ guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are
entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove their
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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