Baseball bat attack leads to separate child neglect DCFS investigation of Kingston man

KINGSTON – A Kingston man facing charges after police say he attacked a man with a gun and baseball bat is now, along with his wife, under investigation by the state’s child protective services.

Joseph A. Sebright Jr., 38, of the 33000 block of Five Points Road in Kingston, was arrested in March and charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, along with domestic battery and aggravated assault, both Class A misdemeanors. If convicted of the more serious felony charge, Joseph Sebright could face up to five years in prison.

The criminal charges came after reports of a January incident involving Sebright and another member of his household, a man who was the victim in the attack. The investigation by the Illinois Department of Family Services came after police responded to the battery call and noted conditions inside Sebright’s home. As a result, Joseph Sebright and his wife, Charla N. Sebright, 35, of the same address, also now are at the center of a child neglect case by DCFS unrelated to Joseph’s battery charges.

The Sebrights face allegations of attempts to flee from police and child protective services for two months.

“The alleged [battery] incident is how the conditions came to be known,” DeKalb County Asst. State’s Attorney Roger Smith told the Daily Chronicle Monday.

During a March 31 closed court hearing for Sebright’s juvenile case charges, Smith said Sebright testified he lived in Tennessee but investigators could not corroborate an address. Smith said prosecutors have concerns that Sebright will flee if released with ongoing charges.

During his bond hearing March 31, Sebright said he told police he was working in Tennessee and that he didn’t have his child with him at the time.

“I wasn’t trying to flee from them,” Sebright said.

Baseball bat attack leads to child neglect charges

According to court documents, DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call at 10:43 p.m. Jan. 10 for a report of battery and threats of gun violence. Sebright argued with another adult in the home over missing or stolen guns, and he allegedly struck the victim, a man, with a handgun and baseball bat.

“[The alleged victim said] Joseph then put him into a bedroom and told his wife Charla Sebright, ‘Kill him if he comes out,’ ” according to court documents. “Joseph also stated ‘I dare you to leave this room.’ "

The Sebrights attempted to mislead police, court records allege, after Joseph lied about his identity and Charla lied about her husband’s whereabouts.

Police also found several stolen guns and ammunition without current state firearm identification in the Sebright home.

Both Sebrights are also charged with indirect civil contempt related to the DCFS investigation, meaning they’re accused of willfully ignoring a court order for a juvenile case. Juvenile case records are not open to the public. The Sebrights each had closed juvenile court hearings on the case March 31.

Bond set for Joseph Sebright

For Joseph Sebright’s aggravated battery felony charges, prosecutors asked for a $150,000 bond.

Skokie-based attorney Robert Lewin, Joseph Sebright’s lawyer, asked for his client’s release citing a lack of felony convictions and requested a $10,000 bond.

“Clearly it appears that he’s not a flight risk, at risk to commit any future offenses and I think the $150,000 bond is exceedingly high,” Lewin said.

In his bond ruling Thursday, DeKalb County Judge Joseph Pedersen pointed to stolen guns found in the Sebrights’ home. He said court documents show Sebright is accused of speeding away at 100 mph from police while attempting to flee, until his car went airborne and popped a tire.

“The court has concerns … whether or not the defendant would comply with the conditions of release if he posted bond,” Pedersen said.

Sebright’s bond for his aggravated battery case was set at $150,000 by Pedersen. The Kingston man would need to post $15,000 to be released from jail.

In his closed juvenile court hearing, Smith said Sebright testified that he lived in Tennessee but was working in Georgia.

“His testimony generally was found not to be credible and that calls into question the veracity of his statements to pretrial,” Smith said.

Joseph Sebright is due back in court 1 p.m. Friday.