Mount Prospect man gets 6 years for drug possession

For making what he described as the stupidest mistake of his life, a 57-year-old Mount Prospect man was sentenced to six years in prison Monday in Rolling Meadows.

Peter Borysiewicz, who had an unblemished record before his February conviction for possessing 56 grams of cocaine, remained stoic upon hearing Cook County Judge Kay Hanlon’s sentence. However several of the dozen family members attending the hearing — including Borysiewicz’s wife and children — broke down.

Borysiewicz was acquitted of the more serious charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He must complete at least 50 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

“I’ve never seen a person go through such agony, embarrassment and shame,” said defense attorney Anthony DiJohn who argued for probation for the class 1 felony.

DiJohn said his client’s charges were “unlikely to ever happen again,” and insisted incarceration would cause hardship to Borysiewicz’s family members, who face the loss of his business and the family home.

Borysiewicz testified during the trial that he had used cocaine for about two years prior to his October 2011 arrest at his Arlington Heights heating and air conditioning company. Police recovered the cocaine from a credenza in Borysiewicz’s office.

Borysiewicz insisted during Monday’s hearing that he did not deal drugs, but allowed a friend to use his office to conduct a transaction in which he had no part.

“I’m sorry for what I did,” Borysiewicz said. “I embarrassed my family, myself and my colleagues.”

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Andre stated Borysiewicz deserved incarceration.

“Having that amount of cocaine affects a lot of people, and this court sees that every day,” he said.

DiJohn said Borysiewicz cooperated with police, providing them information on the man who sold him the cocaine, which police confirmed.

Hanlon acknowledged she rarely encounters defendants Borysiewicz’s age with no criminal background, but that did not deter her from imposing a prison term.

“You should know better,” said Hanlon, adding that she found his claims of innocence “incredible.”