No jail for Lake Co. pellet gun vandals

Four Lake County teenagers who used pellet guns to damage cars in August will avoid jail time, authorities said Monday.

Nicholas A. Thomsen, 18, of Lindenhurst; Shawn D. Smith, 18, of the Lake Villa area; Bradley R. Schmidt, 18, of Lindenhurst; and Nicholas M. Goeztinger, 18, of Lindenhurst, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property on Monday, said Assistant State's Attorney Steve Scheller.

They were sentenced to one year of supervision and ordered to pay more than $12,000 in restitution to the owners of 41 vehicles damaged in the Aug. 5 attacks, which occurred in the Lake Villa and Lindenhurst areas.

Each teen must also perform 200 hours of public service, write letters of apology to the victims, submit to random drug and alcohol testing and stay away from the victims, Scheller said.