Palatine man sentenced to five years for back-to-back incidents

Scott Evangelista's guilty plea ensures he won't face another trial like the one he endured last month, which concluded with a hung jury after 14 hours of deliberations.

Evangelista pleaded guilty to amended charges Tuesday in a Rolling Meadows courtroom where Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Scotillo sentenced the 20-year-old Palatine man to a total of five years in prison for two separate crimes.

The first stemmed occurred in March at the home of an ex-girlfriend. Authorities say Evangelista pushed his way into her apartment after she refused to return some marijuana he asked her to hold for him.

Scotillo sentenced him to two years in prison in exchange for Evangelista's guilty plea to criminal trespass to a residence. Additionally, Scotillo sentenced him to three years in prison for burglary following a May incident during which Evangelista entered a trailer and detained a woman against her will.

Because he was on bond when he committed the second offense, Evangelista must serve the sentences consecutively, Scotillo said. He received credit for 174 days in custody and he must serve at least 50 percent of each sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Defense attorney Thomas Glasgow insisted his client can be rehabilitated and assured the court that Evangelista will have his family's support upon his release.

“My stay at Cook County jail has really changed my life significantly. I've become stronger in my relationship with the lord, said Evangelista, who asked the court for mercy during his sentencing hearing, which was attended by tearful family members.

Evangelista choked up when he admitted he had “turned his back on God this past year and when he acknowledged how his family has stood by him during this difficult time.

“You went through a bad spell there for a guy who's 19 years old and had no criminal history, Scotillo said, adding that he felt the sentence would still allow Evangelista to turn his life around upon his release.