An Antioch man who prosecutors say tried to stash a pistol in the back of a McHenry police cruiser will spend the next two decades in state prison, after a McHenry County jury convicted him in a case built on squad car video, DNA analysis, and photos pulled from his own cellphone.
John T. Boland, 41, was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison after jurors found him guilty in January of possession with intent to deliver 15 to 100 grams of cocaine, armed violence and being an armed habitual criminal, all Class X felonies, as well as unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and possessing less than five grams of methamphetamine, according to Shaw Local. The judge imposed the 20-year term, gave Boland credit for 686 days already served, and ordered that he must serve at least half his sentence. When he is released, he will be on 18 months of mandatory supervised release. Court records and reporting show Boland had been released from Sheridan Correctional Center in November 2023 after an earlier Lake County conviction that carried an eight-year sentence.
Boland’s latest case grew out of a May 3, 2024, traffic stop in McHenry, when police pulled over a Mercedes-Benz in which he was riding as a passenger and found a black backpack containing cocaine, as reported by WIFR. The driver was not charged. While officers continued to search the car, Boland was briefly detained in the back of a squad car.
Squad Video and Forensic Evidence
At trial, prosecutors played squad car video they said showed Boland, handcuffed in the back seat, pushing something down between the seat cushions. Officers later recovered a 9mm Glock 43 from the rear of the cruiser, and a DNA expert testified that Boland’s DNA was on the gun. Local coverage and court filings described the video and lab work as key pieces of the state’s case, with Lake and McHenry County Scanner noting the surveillance footage and DNA testimony presented to jurors.
Photos, Texts, and a Multiagency Probe
Assistant State’s Attorney Shelby Page told the court that photos pulled from Boland’s phone showed numerous firearms, bricks of cocaine, and text messages about drug dealing, evidence prosecutors used to argue he was involved in broader trafficking activity. In a news release, McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese praised the coordinated work of local and county agencies and warned, “The combination of illegal drugs and firearms poses a significant threat to public safety.” Shaw Local reported the prosecutor’s statements and Freese’s comments.
Legal Context
Boland’s principal convictions are Class X felonies. Under Illinois law, Class X offenses carry substantial prison terms that can vary depending on aggravating factors, with extended terms possible in some cases. The Unified Code of Corrections outlines the statutory framework for Class X sentencing and related supervision requirements, and the ranges and post-release conditions are set out in Illinois General Assembly statutes.
With the sentence now imposed, Boland will serve the McHenry County term with credit for time already spent in the county jail and will return to the custody system under Illinois Department of Corrections rules. Prosecutors said the coordinated investigation, which included the City of McHenry Police Department, Grayslake Police, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, removed an allegedly armed trafficker from circulation. Court records will determine the final tally of credit and confinement time.
