Marengo man accused of holding woman against her will with shotgun in his trailer

Prosecutors say a Marengo man held a woman against her will with a shotgun Friday in his trailer, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County.

Stephen A. Dracousis, 29, of the 19600 block of Harmony Road, Marengo, was charged with aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated restraint, possession of a firearm with a revoked Firearm Owners Identification card and violating pretrial release conditions. Aggravated kidnapping is a Class X felony that can carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.

Dracousis, who also has an Aurora address in the 300 block of Old Indian Trail, is accused of confining a woman in his trailer Friday at the Lehman’s Lakeside RV Resort in Marengo while armed with a shotgun, according to court documents. He choked the alleged victim until she could not breathe, coughed and vomited, Assistant McHenry County State’s Attorney Anthony Marin said. Dracousis threatened to use the shotgun on the woman and himself, placing the gun to her head and the barrel inside his mouth. The woman was taken to the hospital and had bruises on her chest, Marin said.

Dracousis was free on pretrail release conditions that were violated Friday, according to court records. A DeKalb County case lists a charge of aggravated domestic battery against Dracousis. His pretrial release conditions required him to not possess or control a firearm, which he violated, Marin said.

Kane County records show Dracousis was found guilty of battery and disorderly conduct in separate cases in 2022 and possession of ammunition without a FOID card in 2020.

Marin requested the judge to deny pretrial release because Dracousis is a “real and present threat to the safety” of the victim, according to court documents. Dracousis appeared in court for an initial hearing Saturday, where Judge Cynthia Lamb approved the request to deny pretrial release.

McHenry County Public Defender Kim Messer said the initial police reports had “discrepancies” and the guns belonged to the alleged victim.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office sent an alert Friday of “heavy police presence” at Dracousis’ trailer for an “isolated domestic incident.”

Dracousis is set to appear in court Wednesday.