Judge lowers bond for juvenile suspects in McHenry Co. gang feud

A pair of teenage brothers charged as a adults for their parts in a brawl that raised concerns of gang activity in Lake in the Hills got their bonds lowered significantly Monday.

Judge Sharon Prather reduced bonds for Mohammad Awwad, 16, and Wasfi Awwad, 15, from $30,000 to $5,000 after a brief court hearing Monday morning, meaning each needed to post only $500 to be freed. Defense lawyers were anticipating posting bond Monday.

While out on bond, the brothers must attend school, abide by a curfew, avoid alcohol and drugs and have no contact with gang members.

"If you violate any condition of your bond, you're going to be back in custody and you're going to stay there," Prather told the older sibling.

County prosecutors, who objected to the bond reductions, are charging the pair as adults with aggravated battery and mob action, both felonies, and a misdemeanor count of unlawful contact with gang members.

Authorities said the charges stem from a July 3 fracas started when a 17-year-old boy from a rival gang walked past the Awwad home in the 100 block of Pheasant Trail. Police said the teens, along with older brother Mazin Awwad, 18, and a fourth man, attacked the rival, leaving him bloodied and bruised.

Mazin Awwad and the fourth suspect, Jonathan Rodriguez, 18, of Lake in the Hills, also are facing aggravated battery and mob action.

A different McHenry County judge ruled last week that prosecutors could charge the younger Awwads as adults because each has a prior felony as a juvenile and the July 3 incident was gang-related. Before their anticipated release, both had been held at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center since their July 29 arrests.