Bond upheld for Elgin man accused of drugging, assaulting caretaker

An elderly Elgin man accused of drugging and fondling his caretaker appeared before a Kane County Judge Thursday in a wheelchair equipped with an oxygen tank in an effort to have his bond reduced.

But Raymond Kvacik, 75, of the 100 block of South State Street, who has been held on $150,000 bail since his arrest in February, will remain in jail for now after prosecutors presented evidence that last month’s attack might not have been the first time Kvacik drugged someone.

He faces up to seven years in prison from felony criminal sexual abuse charges alleging he slipped sleeping pills into his 25-year-old home caretaker’s drink and molested her. Elgin police had an undercover officer pose as his new caretaker and arrested him.

Judge Timothy Sheldon shot down a request to lower bond for Kvacik, instead ordering him to be evaluated by a psychiatrist and report back to court on March 24.

“I am concerned that releasing him with a lower bond will be a danger to society,” Sheldon said.

Assistant State’s Attorney Pam Monaco said Kvacik didn’t appear in a wheelchair during court appearances last month. She also noted that Zolpidem, a generic form of Ambien that Kvacik is accused of using to drug his victim, is a very powerful substance.

Monaco also noted that police searched Kvacik’s room at a nursing home in the 1300 block of Fleetwood Drive in Elgin in August 2009. They found 122 tablets of Zolpidem in his room when his prescription was only good for 30 pills at a time. According to court documents, police also recovered five pornographic DVDs, male enhancement pills, two cameras, a sex toy and a pill cutter. No charges were ever filed.

A woman who answered the phone at the nursing home referred inquiries to their corporate office; a message left there was not returned.

Michael Tatman, assistant public defender, said Kvacik’s stepson in Pingree Grove and grandson in Waukegan were both willing to care for Kvacik, who has a variety of health problems.

“He’s not going anywhere, judge. I don’t believe he’s a flight risk,” Tatman said, noting his client could probably post about $1,500 toward his bond.