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Jail, probation for man who caused Aurora casino bomb scare, evacuation

A 30-year-old Chicago man convicted of causing a bomb scare that forced the evacuation of Aurora's Hollywood Casino in February was sentenced Wednesday to two years of probation and given credit for 10 months served in jail.

No one was hurt in the hoax, which closed area streets for hours.

Kane County Judge D.J. Tegeler gave Mustadin Maudinov, who was on parole for a 2015 aggravated battery to a police officer in Cook County at the time of his arrest, a warning that he will be sent to prison if he violates his probation, which includes a ban on entering any casino in Illinois.

"You will be watched very carefully. I am willing to give people a chance - a chance," Tegeler said.

Muadinov, speaking through a Turkish interpreter, apologized for the scare, saying his message was "misinterpreted." He was estranged from his family at the time, living out of a box truck and wanted to escape the winter cold by getting arrested and thrown in jail for a few days.

"I did not go there to threaten anybody. I never had that intention. If I did it, I apologize," he said.

Maudinov was convicted of felony disorderly conduct after a three-day bench trial in early November.

According to trial testimony, Muadinov went to the casino for several hours the night of Feb. 11, walking around "casing" the area, even asking about emergency exits.

The next day, he returned to the casino wearing what police and prosecutors characterized as "Muslim attire," parking a large box truck in front of the casino. Maudinov spokes to casino officials, saying he had a "gift" and if he wasn't taken to see President Donald Trump, they would all meet "Allah," according to trial testimony.

Muadinov, who is Muslim and doesn't drink or gamble, said he wanted to "take over and destroy" the casino; Kane County Assistant Public Defender Brenda Willett said her client meant he wanted a better use for the casino, one that would benefit the entire community.

"(Maudinov) has strong religious beliefs and his strong religious beliefs have sometimes caused him some problems," Willett said, arguing for probation.

The felony disorderly conduct charge carried a sentence ranging from probation to up to five years in prison. But Muadinov, who was on parole after serving half a four-year prison sentence for the 2015 aggravated battery case, is eligible for an extended term of up to 10 years in prison on the disorderly conduct/bomb scare charge.

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