SYCAMORE – A man convicted of rape serving 55 years in prison after he kidnapped a Northern Illinois University student at gunpoint, made her drive to his home in Sycamore, raped her and then made her drive back to campus, is back in DeKalb County as he awaits a new sentencing hearing.
Todd Allgood, 51, has been appealing his 2002 conviction. A mandate issued by an appellate court this week granted him a new sentencing hearing.
In July, a state appellate court issued an opinion stating that parts of Allgood’s sentencing in 2002 violated the proportionate-penalties clause of the state constitution. Allgood has argued that this should reverse his conviction. The court disagreed but did judge that he should be resentenced on both convictions.
At issue is an Illinois 15-year enhancement added to his sentence for use of a weapon during the crime.
A jury found Allgood guilty of the kidnapping and rape, which occurred April 25, 2001.
On April 25, 2001, Allgood approached a 21-year-old NIU student in the gravel parking lot of 1100 W. Lincoln Highway, now Lincoln Tower. He abducted her at gunpoint and forced her to drive to his residence in the Edgebrook Trailer Park in Sycamore, where he raped her, records show. He then made her drive back to the Gabel Hall area on NIU’s campus.
During the trial, which concluded in 2002, Allgood continued to profess his innocence, records show, and maintained the sex had been consensual.
Records show the DeKalb County Circuit Court judge, who ruled on Allgood’s sentence, Douglas Engel, in 2002 called Allgood “a very dangerous person to society.”
Allgood was booked into the DeKalb County Jail on Monday. He’s next due in court Tuesday for a status hearing.