ELMHURST MEN SENTENCED TO 360 DAYS IN ARSONS

WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett announced today that Judge George Bakalis has sentenced two Elmhurst residents to 360 days in the DuPage County Jail for intentionally setting fire to an Elmhurst home under construction and a school bus in July 2005.  A third defendant in the case, Daniel Kunesh, 18, (2/16/1988) also of Elmhurst, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2006.   Kunesh entered a plea of guilty to one count of Criminal Damage to Property, a Class 4 Felony which carries a maximum penalty of one to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).

On July 6, 2006, Brian Marchese, 18, (d.o.b. 1/3/1988) and Justin Jones, 18, (d.o.b. 7/1/1988) each entered pleas of guilty to two counts of Arson, a Class 2 Felony, which carries a maximum penalty of three to seven years in the IDOC.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. July 24, 2005, Elmhurst Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of a fire at 845 Poplar in Elmhurst.  Upon their arrival, officers found the residence completely engulfed in flames.  The flames had also caused fire damage to neighboring homes.  Damage to the home was estimated at more than $100,000.  Two days later, on July 26, 2005, the pair also set fire to an Elmhurst Community School District school bus.  Damage to the school bus was estimated at more than $10,000.  No injuries were reported in either incident.

“The destruction caused by these two men amounts to nothing more than random, malicious acts of arson,” commented Birkett.  “They had no connection to either of the victims and we are all very grateful that no one was hurt.  I would like to thank the Elmhurst Police and  Fire Departments for their assistance in this case.  Their assistance allowed us to quickly bring these two men to justice before they could cause any further damage.  Both of these young men come from good families and had zero criminal history.  The property they destroyed for ‘kicks’ will be restored.  The stains on their records however, are permanent and cannot be removed,” Birkett concluded.

In addition to their sentences, Marchese and Jones were ordered to pay restitution, submit to the State’s Arson Registry and serve 36 months of probation. 

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