Judge reduces bond for McHenry man charged with home invasion

WOODSTOCK – A McHenry County judge on Friday reduced the bond for a man accused of breaking into a woman's Johnsburg home, attacking her and taking her car.

Judge Sharon Prather reduced 21-year-old Benjamin Iandola’s bond to $60,000 Friday, meaning he must post $6,000 bail to be released from the McHenry County Jail. His bond for the same charges previously was set at $250,000.

Should Iandola post the money, he would be required to abide by a court-ordered curfew, avoid alcohol and have no contact with the woman he is accused of harming. The woman told the judge Friday that the no-contact requirement isn’t needed.

Beside Iandola’s public defender, Richard Behof, the woman asked Prather to dismiss the no-contact order. Prather denied the request.

On Nov. 9, the woman vacated a previous order of protection she filed against Iandola only six days earlier, court records show.

Iandola, of the 3100 block of Lincoln Road, McHenry, has been in custody at the McHenry County Jail since Nov. 3, when police said he dragged a woman out of bed and swung a table leg at her, according to court documents.

He is charged with home invasion, theft, domestic battery, interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, criminal damage to property, resisting a peace officer, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to reduce speed, use of weapons and aggravated battery to a peace officer. The most serious charge, home invasion, typically is punishable by six to 30 years in prison.

The situation began when Iandola and the woman were arguing during a walk home from a nearby bar Nov. 3, records show.

The argument escalated, and Iandola continued to call the woman names, according to the order of protection. A friend eventually called the police, who drove Iandola home.

After returning only an hour later and again being kicked out of the home, Iandola tried to break into the house through a screen door, court records show.

He ran to the woman’s room, pulled off the covers from her bed, and eventually hid in the woman’s basement, according to claims in the order of protection.

When she went to look for him, Iandola began throwing nearby items at her, and smashed her cellphone so she could not call the police.

The woman ran for help, and on her way home, saw Iandola driving toward her – in her own car, which he crashed into a light pole, the order said.

Police arrived shortly after and arrested Iandola, records show.

Less than a week later, a judge granted the woman’s request to vacate the order of protection.

Iandola remained at the McHenry County Jail on Friday. He is due in court Dec. 5.