From the State’s Attorney:
JESSE MENDEZ SENTENCED TO FOURTEEN YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL ARSON
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on October 2, 2025, Jesse Mendez, 37, of Garden Prairie, IL, was sentenced to fourteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of Residential Arson.
Mendez was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Mark Gerhardt after entering a negotiated plea of guilt.
In the early morning hours of April 20, 2025, Mendez and an accomplice drove to the residence near downtown Crystal Lake.
The accomplice exited Mendez’s vehicle with a metal container containing an accelerant, which had been ignited, and threw the container at the exterior of the residence.
The residence caught fire, causing exterior damage and charring.
The fire was extinguished by a good Samaritan passerby.
The extensive investigation by the Crystal Lake Police Department led to the arrest of Mendez and his accomplice.
The investigation also revealed that Mendez’s intended target of the arson did not reside at the residence, and the pair mistakenly burned the wrong home.
Ultimately, Mendez was sentenced to fourteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Upon release, he will be required to complete one year of mandatory supervision.
“We are grateful for the quick, decisive action of a concerned citizen that managed to control the fire, preventing a more devastating outcome.
“We also commend the tenacious work of the Crystal Lake Police Department in both identifying and apprehending the perpetrator,” Freese stated.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Special Prosecutor William Bruce.
