Judge finds Lake in the Hills man guilty of residential burglary

A Lake in the Hills man who in 2018 was accused of unlawfully entering another couple’s home while wearing a ski mask, bandana and sunglasses was found guilty Tuesday of residential burglary and criminal trespass to residence.

Peter A. Sova, 33, of the 1300 block of Cunat Court, was found guilty of the felony charges after a trial-by-judge that ended Tuesday. McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge also found Sova not guilty of four counts of misdemeanor battery tied to an altercation that ensued when the homeowner’s guests tried to detain Sova.

The case dates back to Dec. 15, 2018, when prosecutors say Sova entered a home on Tuscany Drive in Algonquin with plans to burglarize the owners.

During a police interview, Sova told officers that he entered the home by mistake that night while walking from an outing in Huntley to his Lake in the Hills home, his attorney Jeffrey Altman said. Sova had been drinking and thought the house belonged to his friend who might lend him a beer, Altman said.

The homeowner had several guests over that night, however, and witnesses claimed Sova announced he was there for “cash” or money.

“Don’t call the police, I’m not here to hurt anyone. I’m here for money,” Coppedge said Tuesday, quoting the homeowner’s testimony.

The witnesses didn’t immediately tell police about Sova’s remarks, however. By the time officers learned of them, Sova already had been charged with criminal trespass to residence – generally a less serious offense than residential burglary, Altman said.

Coppedge ultimately found the testimonies credible, noting that one of the party guests was an attorney who could face “serious professional consequences” for fabricating testimony.

“None of these individuals have any reason for doing so and gain nothing by it,” the judge said.

Sova additionally was charged with pushing the homeowner during the confrontation, but Coppedge determined the homeowner initiated the “scrap.”

“[Sova] was not the aggressor and did not respond with the use of unreasonable force,” Coppedge said.

Because Sova is not eligible for probation, he was taken back into custody Tuesday and booked in the McHenry County Jail.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place at 1:30 p.m. July 15. Sova faces as many as 15 years in prison for the most serious charge, residential burglary.