Dixon man accused of attempted murder hires private criminal defense attorney from Chicago

OREGON — A rural Dixon man charged with the attempted murder of three police officers at his residence in June will now be represented by a private attorney, a move that comes after two Ogle County public defenders who both defended him left the office.

Jonathon Gounaris, 32, is charged with four counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, three counts of aggravated battery and two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card – all of which stem from a June 12 standoff with police in the rural Dixon subdivision of Lost Lake. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held in the Winnebago County Jail in Rockford.

Originally, Gounaris was represented by former Public Defender William Gibbs. Gibbs left the office in August 2024 and the case was taken over by Public Defender Michael O’Brien, who left the office mid-April. Gounaris is now represented by attorney William Wolf of Wolf Criminal Law based in Chicago.

Gounaris appeared before Ogle County Judge John “Ben” Roe on Monday. Wolf was unable to attend the hearing so attorney Jack DeBacker of Wolf Criminal Law went in his place.

Wolf and DeBacker filed a motion for discovery, which refers to the formal process where parties involved in a court case exchange information about the case. It’s intended to prevent “trial by ambush” in which one side is surprised by evidence at trial that they had no prior knowledge of.

DeBacker maintained Gounaris’ previous position of arguing for release while Assistant State’s Attorney Heather Kruse maintained hers and argued for continued detention.

Gounaris has been denied pretrial release as far back as his initial detention hearing June 20, 2024. O’Brien made extensive arguments supporting Gounaris’ release at a hearing March 17, when he called the June standoff a “paradox of the welfare check.”

[ Dixon man charged with attempted murder of three police officers seeks release for mental health treatment ]

The state disagrees and has continued to argue for detention since that initial June 20 hearing. Assistant State’s Attorney Heather Kruse said March 17 that police had found Gounaris to be wearing ballistic body armor while armed with two handguns, pepper spray and a knife.

“This wasn’t a man who was having a mental health crisis. This was a man that wanted to kill someone,” she said.

At that March 17 hearing, Roe took the arguments under advisement and ruled April 8 for continued detention, which has since been appealed by the defense.

[ Ogle County judge denies release of Dixon man charged with attempted murder of three police officers ]

On Monday, Roe again ruled for detention.

Gounaris is charged with shooting three members of the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team after a three-hour standoff when police tried to enter his home at 402 Wild Rice Lane in Lost Lake.

[ Sheriff: Rural Dixon resident shoots 3 deputies after barricading himself in home at Lost Lake ]

The ERT is made up of individuals from agencies including the sheriff’s office, Oregon and Byron police departments, and SWAT medics from the Rochelle Fire Department.

Ogle County Sheriff’s Lt. Jason Ketter was shot in the face and taken by air ambulance to OSF Medical Center in Rockford, where he underwent surgery. He was released from the hospital June 14.

Ogle County Sheriff’s Deputy Tad Dominski was shot in the arm, and Tyler Carls of the Rochelle Fire Department was shot in the torso. They were treated at KSB Hospital in Dixon and released later that evening.

Gounaris also was shot during the gunfire exchange and was taken to KSB Hospital in Dixon, where he was treated before being booked into the Winnebago County Jail on June 18.

Gounaris’ next hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. May 30.