Charges: Wood Dale felon threatened loud neighbor with gun

Prosecutors say a Wood Dale man with a lengthy criminal history pointed a loaded handgun at his neighbor’s head and threatened to kill him over a loud party.

Bail was set at $100,000 Monday for Benjamin D. Biancofiori, 31, of the 400 block of George Street, who faces charges of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and aggravated assault.

Prosecutors said Biancofiori first confronted a next-door neighbor with a baseball bat about a loud party around 3 a.m. Sunday. When the party did not quiet down, he retrieved a loaded handgun, pointed it at the neighbor’s head, and threatened to kill the man, Assistant DuPage County State’s Attorney Cathy DeLaMar said.

When police were called, Biancofiori’s girlfriend hid the weapon, two loaded magazines and a box of ammunition near a home about three doors away, where the items were later recovered, DeLaMar said. She added several witnesses, including a neighbor who had no part in the confrontation, saw Biancofiori wielding the firearm moments earlier.

But defense attorney Josh Niewoehner said the situation unfolded after the party noise awakened Biancofiori’s 10-year-old daughter — and after the alleged victim kicked in his door.

“We think evidence at trial will show the facts are a bit different” than prosecutors outlined, he said. “We think there will be a self-defense element to these charges.”

DeLaMar said Biancofiori’s criminal history dates to 1997 and includes convictions for resisting arrest, criminal property damage, trespass, false impersonation of a police officer and retail theft. As a teen, he was sentenced to a five-year prison term for the gang-related robbery and battery of a 16-year-old boy. The boy killed himself by walking in front of a train after gang members continued to harass him, DeLaMar said.

Judge Michael Wolfe set Biancofiori’s bail at $100,000, meaning he would need to post $10,000 to go free while the case is pending. If he is released, he must avoid contact with his neighbor and regularly report to probation officials, the judge ordered.

His next court date is June 6.