Man gets 7 years for arson: Dixon co-defendant wants to withdraw her guilty plea

DIXON – A 21-year-old Belvidere man admitted Wednesday to throwing a Molotov cocktail between two Dixon houses in April, but said he "just went along" with a plot hatched by his two co-defendants.

Robert M. Cordle pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempted aggravated arson and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. In exchange for his guilty plea, Lee County prosecutors dropped a charge of unlawful use of a weapon.

According to the Arsonist Registration Act, he must register with law enforcement where he lives, works or attends school for 10 years after his release.

Cordle also agreed to testify against Balal Abdelhadi, 19, of Dixon. His other co-defendant, Jennifer Hurd, 22, also of Dixon, already has been sentenced.

According to court records, Cordle told police he was angry with a man who lived in the 1600 block of West Third because he had allegedly physically abused Cordle's girlfriend.

Hurd told police she gave Cordle and Abdelhadi gloves, hats, rags, bottles and gasoline to make the cocktails. She said she filled the bottles with gasoline and provided pieces of clothing to be used as wicks.

The men put stockings over their faces and took the bottles to the house, where Abdelhadi allegedly threw one at the west wall, catching the siding on fire. He also allegedly smashed a second bottle on the porch.

Cordle threw a third bottle between the house and a neighbor's, then the two fled on foot. Police later found them hiding in Hurd's attic.

Hurd pleaded guilty to aggravated arson in early June and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Her attorney, Anna Sacco-Miller, has filed a motion seeking to vacate the plea, however.

According to the motion, Hurd was told at sentencing that she would receive day-for-day credit and would not be required to serve 85 percent of the sentence. The Illinois Department of Corrections later said she must serve 85 percent before being eligible for release.

She has a court hearing today.

Abdelhadi has a pretrial conference Aug. 13.