West Chicago Man Charged with Arson & Vandalism of Carol Stream & Bartlett Churches

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett along with Carol Stream Police Chief Rick Willing and Bartlett Police Chief Dan Palmer announced today that Marc V. Giomi, 23 (d.o.b. 12/29/81) of 4 N. 641 Turnmill Lane in West Chicago has been charged in connection with multiple criminal violations involving several Carol Stream and Bartlett churches, as well as arson to residential property located in Carol Stream. Giomi has been charged with the following offenses:

1 count Arson, Class 2 Felony - involving vehicle at residence on 1300 block  Narragansett Drive on or about 1/31/05

1 count Burglary, Class 2 Felony -  Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1244 Army Trail   Road on or about 3/10/03

1  count Criminal Defacement of Property, a Class A Misdemeanor - involving residence on 1300 block of Narragansett on or   about 10/19/04

2  counts Disorderly Conduct, a Class C Misdemeanor - involving residence on 1300 block of Narragansett on or about 12/07/04   and on or about 10/14/04

 Bartlett

1 count Burglary, Class 2 Felony - Good Shepherd Church, 751 Army Trail  Road on or about 3/10/03

1 count Arson, Class 2 Felony - Good Shepherd Church, 751 Army Trail Road   on or about 3/10/03 

2 counts Place of Worship Arson, Class 1 Felony - Poplar Creek Church, 300  Schick Road on or about 4/02/04 and Living Lord Lutheran Church, 1044 Congress Drive  on or about 7/01/04

Carol Stream Police were contacted on Monday, February 1st regarding a suspicious person and vehicle in their town, specifically at a location in the 1300 block of Narragansett.  During the investigation of this report, it was found that a fire had allegedly been started beneath a motor home located at a residence on that block. During the investigation, Detectives from Carol Stream were joined by Detectives of the Bartlett Police Department, the DuPage County Arson Task Force and the FBI.  These officers developed information allegedly linking Giomi to several previous unsolved crimes.  At the conclusion of the investigation, the State’s Attorney’s Office approved the above-listed charges.

Detectives of the Carol Stream Police Department placed Giomi under arrest on February 1, 2005, and he was then transported to the DuPage County Jail in Wheaton.   He appeared in bond court this morning where Judge Joseph Bongiorno set bond at $200,000 for each of the two cases, with 10% to apply. 

“In 2003, my office drafted the law that makes Place of Worship Arson a Class 1, non-probationable, felony.  This law was proposed following a series of arsons in multiple communities throughout DuPage and Cook Counties and imposes more serious penalties for those who commit an arson at a church,” commented State’s Attorney Birkett.  “Churches are entitled to special protections as symbols of faith and centerpieces within our communities.  If found guilty for these alleged arsons to the churches within the Carol Stream and Bartlett communities, this defendant faces a more severe sentence than he would have before this law was enacted.”

The potential sentence for a charge of Place of Worship Arson is 4 to 15 years in the Department of Corrections. The potential sentence for Arson and for Burglary are probation or a sentence of from 3 to 7 years.  If found guilty of Disorderly Conduct and Defacement of Property, the defendant faces less than one (1) year in jail.

Giomi is next scheduled to appear for arraignment on the Bartlett cases on February 28th at 9 a.m. in courtroom 4000 before Judge Ann Jorgensen and at 1:30 in Courtroom 4006 before Judge George Bakalis for the Carol Stream cases.

State’s Attorney Birkett thanked the numerous law enforcement agencies that participated in this investigation, especially the Carol Stream Police Department for their most recent investigation which led to the gathering of all of the other law enforcement agencies that participated in this investigation, including the Bartlett Police Department, the DuPage County Arson Task Force and the FBI.  In addition, he thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Laude of his staff for the assistance that he provided in this case.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.