IN THE NEWS

JOHNSBURG MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO HOME INVASION

September 7, 2006

Steven A. Harvey, 50, pleaded guilty to home invasion and was sentenced to eight years in prison for breaking into the home of a 50-year-old Johnsburg woman in September 2001, when police say he fondled the woman and tried to kiss her. "The defendant has pleaded guilty and is being held accountable for his actions," said Margi Worth, a McHenry County assistant state's attorney.

Harvey was arrested on charges of criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, and home invasion in February 2005, when police matched Harvey's DNA with blood taken from the 2001 crime scene.

Police say that Harvey tried to kiss the victim, who he did not know, when he attacked her. The woman bit Harvey's lip, causing it to bleed, Worth said.

The DNA was run through a national database in 2001, but no matches were found.
It was not until Harvey was charged with a similar sex assault in 2003 in Wisconsin that he was connected to the Johnsburg crime. Harvey submitted a blood sample to Wisconsin police, who then found a match from the scene of the Johnsburg assault.

Harvey pleaded guilty in August 2004 to assaulting a 40-year-old Linn, Wis., woman and later was sentenced to 33 months in prison. Worth said that Harvey was out of Wisconsin prison when he was arrested in February 2005.

In exchange for the guilty plea, McHenry County prosecutors on Wednesday dropped charges of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and failure to register as a sex offender.
Harvey could have faced a maximum of 30 years in prison.

McHenry County Presiding Judge Sharon Prather accepted the negotiated plea.
Harvey's court-appointed attorney, George Kililis, pointed to drugs and alcohol as a factor in the 2001 attack.

"The guy was probably a different guy when this crime was committed because of an alcohol and drug addiction," Kililis said.

Harvey was given credit for 563 days that he has spent in the McHenry County Jail awaiting trial.
Kililis said that with Harvey's time already served and a possible state credit for good behavior, he could spend as little as 2 1/2 years in prison. He also could remain in prison for up to five years, Kililis said.

Worth said that Harvey entered the woman's home Sept. 23, 2001, with no clothing below his waist.
"He aggressively fondled her while making sexual comments," Worth said.
Worth said that the victim in the Johnsburg incident approved of Harvey's sentence.

By ROB PHILLIPS


Copyright 2006, Northwest Herald, The (Crystal Lake, IL). All Rights Reserved.