North Aurora man, 74, gets probation, monitoring for stalking
A 74-year-old North Aurora man, who was the first person convicted in Kane County under the state's harsher stalking laws, was sentenced last week to 30 months probation and ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device for a year.
Thomas C. Adams of the 100 block of Poplar Place, faced up to nine years in prison after a jury convicted him of felony aggravated stalking and violating an order of protection.
Under the state's updated stalking statute, which took effect in June 2010, it's a crime to perform actions such as: driving by the victim's home; appearing within the victim's eyesight; showing up at the victim's workplace; sending packages; and having any contact with the victim that causes emotional distress.
Authorities said the victim in Adams' case filed an order of protection against him in DeKalb County court on April 11, 2011, after their relationship had ended early in 2011.
But Adams had continued to pursue her, driving by her Sugar Grove residence and workplace a combined five times in September and October 2011.
According to court records, Judge Marmarie Kostelny gave Adams credit for the six months he's spent in the Kane County jail since his arrest last November.
He also must wear a GPS device for a year, attend domestic violence counseling and complete a psychological evaluation.
Adams' probation ends in November 2014 and he must pay $4,846 in court fines and GPS costs, records show.