$20,000 bond for man accused of tampering with Elburn house gas line

Bond has been set at $20,000 for a Waterman man accused of tampering with a natural gas line to direct gas into an Elburn house where two people were sleeping.

Frank E. Ryan, 33, formerly of Batavia, was arrested Friday and was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of reckless conduct, two counts of battery and one count of felony criminal damage to property.

The Kane County state's attorney's office said in a news release Sunday that in the early morning hours of Jan. 19, Ryan rerouted a natural gas line by drilling a hole in the exposed gas line outside a house on the 500 block Downing Street in Elburn, drilling a hole through the house's exterior wall, then using a tube to direct natural gas into the house.

Elburn Police Chief Nick Sikora said Saturday that a resident of the house told police they awoke to a strong odor of natural gas about 2:26 a.m., and heard a loud hissing noise.

Two people were inside the house at the time, the state's attorney's office release stated. The resident found the tube and called 911. No one was injured.

Prosecutors also said Ryan purchased the materials the previous day. They said he also had covered the house's doorbell camera with duct tape. Ryan appeared in Kane County bond court Sunday, where Judge René Cruz set bail at $200,000. Ryan must post 10 percent of that amount, or $20,000 bond, to be released from jail.

If he posts bond and is released, he is to have no contact with the victims, and no contact with a specified person known by Ryan and the victim, according to the news release. He also must surrender any firearms and a FOID card.

Ryan's next date is Jan. 30 at the Kane County Judicial Center.