Ottawa woman pleads guilty of lying in home invasion

The last charged suspect in the armed Ottawa home invasion, during which shots were fired, has pleaded guilty to a felony.

Kaylee L. Neitzel, 21, of Ottawa appeared Friday in La Salle County Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice, a Class 4 felony carrying up to three years in prison.

Neitzel had no criminal history so prosecutors agreed to a negotiated plea. Neitzel will serve 30 months conditional discharge, a non-reporting form of probation, and must surrender her firearm owner’s ID card.

Neitzel declined an opportunity to address Judge Michael C. Jansz when offered a chance to speak.

She was charged following an investigation into the Nov. 2, 2023, break-in at a residence in the 1100 block of Pine Street. The homeowner exchanged gunfire with the armed intruders, two of whom were later identified, charged and convicted.

Though Neitzel was the least culpable among the actors charged, she tried to thwart Ottawa police at a critical stage of the investigation, specifically where and how suspect Fernando Martinez sustained a gunshot.

Martinez, 21, of Ottawa is awaiting sentencing Dec. 13 for home invasion. He faces up to 50 years.

Despite Neitzel’s attempts to lie for him, Martinez was convicted on the strength of video surveillance from two locations. In footage from a residential security system Martinez could be seen with a gun in his waistband and discussing a break-in during which he admitted being shot.

He also was recorded at Morris Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound but wouldn’t disclose how he got it.

Soon after Martinez was convicted, 21-year-old Michael Boaz pleaded guilty to home invasion, along with two unrelated counts of burglary, and was sentenced to 16 years. He is scheduled for parole in early 2032.