Lee man faces gun, cocaine possession charges after threatening woman at DeKalb Inn

SYCAMORE - A Lee man reportedly found with cocaine is facing charges after police say he threatened a woman at gunpoint while she attempted to leave a local hotel, and said he’d attack her if she left.

Austin D. Cantrell, 24, of the 400 block of Erickson Gate in Lee, is charged with armed violence, a Class X felony, along with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful restraint, aggravated unlawful restraint, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, resisting a police officer, possession of a firearm without a FOID card, possession of ammunition without a FOID card and driving on a suspended license.

If convicted of the most serious crime, armed violence, Cantrell could face up to 30 years in jail and fines up to $25,000.

According to DeKalb County court documents, Austin was arrested Friday, March 19 by DeKalb police in the 900 block of Seaman Avenue after police received a tip from the victim’s friend who called around 8:40 p.m. to warn officers there was a woman being held against her will at the DeKalb Inn in the 1800 block of East Lincoln Highway.

Police made contact with the woman at the hotel, who told them Cantrell was allegedly armed with a firearm and was in his vehicle. She later told detectives she’d been waiting for a ride to pick her up from the hotel, and that Cantrell displayed a gun and told her if she left with her ride he was “gonna bust [her] head,” reports allege.

The woman told police she felt she wasn’t free to leave after the alleged threats, so she asked a friend to call the police.

It’s unclear why Cantrell threatened the woman with a gun and told her not to leave.

Using vehicle identification information provided by the woman, DeKalb police located Cantrell’s car and initiated a traffic stop, but Cantrell got out of his car and fled on foot while armed with what police later identified was a .22 caliber Heritage revolver.

According to court documents, Cantrell refused verbal commands to stop made by DeKalb officers, and was later taken into custody after a foot pursuit. Police reports state officers found the gun in the area where Cantrell fled with a round of ammunition.

During a search of Cantrell’s vehicle, which has a suspended Illinois driver’s license, according to documents, police also found 11.06 grams of suspected cocaine on the driver’s side. Cantrell did not have an Illinois Firearm’s Owner Identification Card on his person, police alleged.

Acting DeKalb Police Chief Bob Redel said Cantrell knew the victim. It’s unclear what the nature of their acquaintance is.

“Officers did an outstanding job in investigating, seizing a loaded handgun and narcotics while arresting the offender,” Redel said.

During a virtual bond hearing at the DeKalb County Jail Saturday, prosecutors with the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office asked DeKalb County Judge Ronald Matekaitis to set bond at $250,000, which he agreed to in his ruling. Cantrell is up for a bond reduction hearing Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., but will be held at DeKalb County Jail for the interim.