A McHenry man, sentenced to prison in April for shooting a gun “in the direction of” a relative, was denied in his motion Tuesday asking that he be given probation instead.

On April 16, Raymond V. Kanarowski, 78, pleaded guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, according to an order signed by Judge Tiffany Davis and filed in McHenry County court.

Davis sentenced him to four years in prison, the lowest prison term for the charge, although probation also is an option allowed by Illinois statute. The maximum prison time is 15 years.

Authorities said that during the evening of May 25, 2025, they responded to Kanarowski’s home, where he had discharged a 9-mm Glock handgun behind a woman and “fired off numerous rounds with the intent to scare” her. Another woman in the home called 911, police said.

“During the dispute, Kanarowski displayed a handgun and fired several rounds,” according to a news release from police at the time.

On Tuesday, Kanarowski’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Kim Messer, argued a motion seeking to reconsider his prison sentence and allow him to be on probation instead. Messer said Kanarowski’s spouse will lose his Social Security payments while he is incarcerated and without – her main source of income – her home will go into foreclosure.

His incarceration would present a “substantial hardship” for his family, Messer said.

Messer also noted Kanarowski has no criminal history and is in poor health. He has a serious heart condition and difficulty hearing. She said his safety would be at risk while in prison and he won’t receive the medical care he needs. Kanarowski has led a law-abiding life, would comply with the rules of probation and has a place stay away from the victim, Messer said.

Kanarowski also detailed his many ailments to the judge, including diabetes and multiple past surgeries, as well as the need for more. He turned to the woman he is accused of shooting at, as she was sitting in the courtroom, and apologized.

“I am truly, truly sorry and I ask for forgiveness,” he said. “I love you.”

To the judge he said: “I don’t know that I have that much time ... I’m a mess,” he said detailing several relatives who died from heart conditions.

The victim told the judge she does not want Kanarowski in prison and she does not fear him. She said he is “a really good man [who] took care of his family. I don’t want him in jail. ... I want what is best for him. ... Please release him.”

But Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Neubauer objected to Messer’s argument, saying the prison sentence is appropriate. When a family member is convicted of a crime and is sentenced to prison, housing matters are “common consequences.” It is not a factor in sentencing and does not change the “seriousness” of the offense he pleaded guilty to, Neubauer said.

Davis said she weighed justice and was “seriously reconsidering” the sentence. She considered his apology and how that will help in rebuilding relationships. She also weighed his age, lack of any criminal history, medical conditions and needs, as well as his hearing difficulties.

But despite those mitigating factors, Davis said she must “consider the seriousness of the offense.”

Kanarowski “was not concerned at all for the safety of anyone ... at anytime” the gun was discharged in the victim’s direction, Davis said. She noted that Kanarowski had said “he intended to scare the victim” and that “he succeeded over a possible non-sensible reason.”

To reduce the sentence to probation would “deprecate” the seriousness of the offense and not be in the best interest of justice. The sentence imposed also must help in deterring others from committing such an offense, Davis said.

Like the prosecutor, Davis also noted that sentencing for “criminal conduct” has “collateral consequences.”

Additional charges of reckless discharge of a firearm, alleging Kanarowski had fired the same gun outside the home hours earlier, were dismissed, records show.

Kanarowski is required to serve 85% of the prison time followed by two years of mandatory supervised release, receiving credit for more than 300 days spent in the county jail since his arrest, the judgment order shows. Messer asked that Kanarowski be sent to Dixon Correctional Center which is the site of the Illinois Department of Correction’s geriatric and medical unit.