Lookout to McHenry restaurant arson pleads guilty

A McHenry man was sentenced to six months in jail today after admitting he served as a lookout for two friends who burglarized and torched a landmark restaurant in his hometown.

Joseph L. Drews, of the 3700 block of Ellen Street, pleaded guilty to arson under a deal in which he also will serve two years probation and be on the hook for nearly $239,000 in restitution to the owners of the former Joey T's restaurant.

As part of his deal today, Drews stood before a judge for about 15 minutes answering a prosecutor's questions about the Feb. 11 break-in and arson. Those statements could be used against his co-defendants, Kasimer R. Sowa, 17, of Wauconda, and Brian C. Lawler, of South Bend, Ind., if they go to trial on pending arson, burglary and theft charges.

The charges allege the three men acted together to break into the restaurant in the early morning hours of Feb. 11 to steal a laptop computer and bottles of liquor. Once inside, police said, the burglars turned their attention to an ATM and a safe, dragging both outside and starting the fire to cover their tracks.

The fire, however, set off alarms, forcing the men to leave behind the ATM and safe as they fled. Police responding the fire spotted the three men speeding away, got their license plate information and arrested the trio later that day, authorities said.

Speaking before the court today, Drews described himself as a lookout man. He said Lawler, a former Joey T's employee, suggested the break-in and provided the baseball bat used to smash their way into the restaurant. The fire, he said, was started with bug spray and a lighter.

"My client did not know they were going to start a fire," Drews attorney Robert Burke said. "He thought they were going to steal a few bottles of liquor and a laptop."

With likely time off for good behavior, Drews could be free in about three months.

Joey T's owners Joe Tallurico and Steve Scully were in court to watch Drews plead guilty. They later declined to comment on the case or whether they planned to rebuild the restaurant, which was gutted by the fire and eventually razed.