Sycamore man accused of home invasion, threatening man with knife over cellphone password

SYCAMORE - A Sycamore man is facing charges after police said he broke into a DeKalb man’s home, entered the man’s bedroom while he slept, and threatened the man with a knife, demanding his cellphone password.

Brendan G. Elliott, 35, of Sycamore is charged with home invasion and armed robbery following the Oct. 10 incident that occurred in the 600 block of Normal Road, according to DeKalb County court records. If convicted of the most serious crime, home invasion, Elliott could face up to 30 years in jail and fines up to $25,000.

Elliott appeared before DeKalb County Associate Judge Joseph Pedersen this week for a virtual bond hearing via Zoom.

“I want to set everything for trial,” Elliott said to Pedersen during his hearing. “They took my money.”

When Pedersen read details regarding Elliott’s prior criminal history, including what he said was at least one warrant for failing to appear for a court hearing, Elliott said, “I’ve never missed a court date. That’s a lie,” and then walked out of the room.

“Just going off the standard bond report, I suspect if we set any cash bond, Mr. Elliot will not be able to post it,” said Tom McCulloch, who was appointed as public defender for Elliott’s bond hearing Tuesday.

Pedersen, who set Elliott’s bond at $75,000, ruled in favor of the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office request, “based on the defendant’s prior criminal history and the nature of the defense,” Pedersen said.

Elliott would need to post $7,500 to be released from jail.

According to DeKalb County court records, DeKalb police were called to the 600 block of Normal Road on Oct. 10 for reports of a home invasion. Upon arrival, officers spoke to the victim, a DeKalb man, who told police that he was sleeping in his bed at home when he awoke to find a man displaying a knife in his hand.

The man threatened the victim with a knife and demanded the victim tell him the password to the victim’s cell phone or else he was going to kill the victim, records state. Prosecutors believe the man brandishing the knife and making threats was Elliott.

The alleged victim told police he complied with the threats, handing over his phone and his password to Elliott, who allegedly left the home, then returned minutes later and took several other items.

According to court records, the victim told police the suspect had a star tattoo on his right forearm above his wrist.

After a search, DeKalb officers found the man matching that description, later identified as Elliott, blocks away in the 800 block of Normal Road. During a warrant search, DeKalb police said they found the victim’s phone and a piece of paper with the phone password on Elliott’s possession, as well as a backpack with several items inside, and a knife.

The victim also positively identified Elliott to police, records state.

Along with a prior failure to appear warrant, Elliott has several prior felony convictions in DeKalb County, Pedersen said, including from Aug. 24 for aggravated battery in a public place and a January conviction of possession of a controlled substance. Elliott has also been convicted of criminal damage to property, resisting a peace office in a correctional institution, and aggravated battery in 2013, records show. He also was convicted of aggravated battery in 2010 on two separate cases, Pedersen said.

Elliott is expected to appear for a status hearing on his charges at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 16 in front of a DeKalb County judge.