Barry C. Pederson, 38, of Island Lake, (inset) is being held in custody on charges alleging he sexually assaulted a woman and injured her in Wonder Lake on June 13, a case investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office that led to the man’s arrest in Wisconsin last month. | Background Photo: Woo-Sung Shim / Lake and McHenry County Scanner; Inset: Provided
An Island Lake man is accused of sexually assaulting a woman, leaving her injured and breaking her phone, before fleeing to Wisconsin and admitting to a third party that he had “raped” her.
Barry C. Pederson, 38, of Island Lake, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony, and unlawful restraint, a Class 4 felony. He was also charged with aggravated assault and domestic battery, both Class A misdemeanors.
Prosecutors said that Pederson sexually assaulted a woman in Wonder Lake on June 13.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Pederson held the victim down during the assault and caused her to suffer injuries.
The complaint said she suffered multiple bruises on her legs and arms, along with a laceration to her genitalia.
The complaint said Pederson used a claw hammer to hit bullets inside a bathroom of the home, causing some of them to discharge.
Pederson allegedly broke the victim’s cell phone after the assault and fled Illinois for Wisconsin, prosecutors said.
Investigators also learned that Pederson allegedly admitted to a third party that he had “raped” the woman before leaving the state.
Pederson was later located and arrested in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, in July.
He was extradited back to McHenry County this week and appeared in Initial Appearance Court on Friday.
McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt granted a petition to detain Pederson pending trial.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese commended the coordinated efforts of law enforcement in Illinois and Wisconsin that led to Pederson’s apprehension and return to McHenry County.
“Fleeing across state lines does not allow you to escape accountability,” Freese said.
“The first step was bringing this man back to McHenry County. The second was ensuring he remained behind bars. We will now move forward with prosecuting these extraordinarily serious allegations and seeking justice for the victim,” Freese said.
Pederson is scheduled to appear in court again on September 11.
The case remains under investigation and anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department at 815-338-2144.
