2 Rock Falls men join 1 other in pleading not guilty in garage shooting case

Two Rock Falls men have entered not-guilty pleas to seven felonies filed against them in connection with a Rock Falls garage party in which guests were reportedly beaten with guns and gunshots were fired.

Emillio Castro and Ethon T. Hemminger, both 18, pleaded not guilty Monday, July 21, in Whiteside County Circuit Court to two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated battery while wearing a mask to conceal identity and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm for the June 29 early-morning shooting in the 1300 block of Franklin Street.

They are accused of being two of three men who showed up at the garage party unwelcome, masked and armed, threatened others at gunpoint, then shot at the garage while running away.

The third man, Baraka D. Boards, 22, also of Rock Falls, entered a not-guilty plea to those same seven felony counts during a preliminary hearing July 14. Boards was formally charged July 21 with two more counts of aggravated battery, according to court documents. The amended trial information indicates the new charges accuse him of beating a third person at the party, doing so while wearing a mask to conceal his identity.

The three, who appeared together July 3 for a detention hearing in Whiteside County Circuit Court, were taken into custody July 2 after party-goers told police the three showed up at the party about 2:30 a.m. wearing masks, carrying guns and at one point threatening to “blow off” the head of one of the partygoers. Three men at the party suffered head wounds, according to court documents.

Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon said that the partygoers had been swimming on the property when one of the three men, who was communicating by phone with a female guest at the party, asked if the three could come over to the house and join in the party. The female said the men could not come over because one of them did not get along with one of the other men at the party.

Simon said the partygoers were sitting in the garage a couple of hours later when three men showed up armed and told the guests to empty their pockets. The three men pointed guns at the seven people, with two of the men verbally threatening the guests, Simon said. Three partygoers suffered head wounds when they were beaten with guns, according to court documents.

The three armed men then ran out of the garage and fired at it from the outside as they fled the property; a nearby house on Minkle Street also was struck by a bullet, Simon said.

Simon said that while the assailants were masked, partygoers identified Boards and Hemminger, based on their eyes, voice and gait, Simon said during the July 3 detention hearing. Castro was identified by his eyes, Simon said.

Boards was arrested July 2 at his residence. Hemminger and Castro turned themselves in that day at the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office. Hemminger and Boards have been denied pretrial release and have remained in the Whiteside County Jail. Castro was granted pretrial release.

The most serious charge, aggravated discharge of a firearm, is a Class 1 felony that carries a possible four- to 15-year prison term upon conviction.

Boards’ next court appearance is a pretrial conference set for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 27, according to court documents.

Castro is set to appear in court at 9 a.m. Aug. 27. He is demanding a speedy trial.

Hemminger, who is also demanding a speedy trial, will next appear in court at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 27.