June 30, 2023 JOLIET— Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that four-time convicted felon Tomas Rekasius, 31, of Orland Park, was sentenced today by Circuit Judge Bertani-Tomcazk to 8 years in prison for a 2018 Crete Township shooting. Judge Bertani-Tomcazk presided over a bench trial and found him guilty September 21, 2022, of Armed Habitual Criminal, a Class X felony, and Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, a Class 1 Felony.

On June 28, 2018, the victim (who Rekasius knew from prison) was pulling a vehicle into his garage when Rekasius pulled up into the victim’s driveway in a minivan with his girlfriend in the passenger seat. The victim walked up to the vehicle to speak Rekasius. At the time, the victim had been working on Rekasius’s Subaru Outback which was sitting in the driveway. When the victim told Rekasius that he needed additional parts, Rekasius became upset and pointed a semiautomatic pistol at the victim who put his hands up and told Rekasius that his child was there. Rekasius then backed out of the driveway while pointing the pistol at the victim. He began to drive, but after the victim stepped into the street, Rekasius stopped the minivan, got out of the vehicle, and fired a shot in the victim’s direction. Rekasius returned to the vehicle and fled the scene.

At the time Rekasius committed the offenses in this case, he was out on bond in Cook County for a case in which he is now serving a 20-year prison sentence for Aggravated Battery/Strangulation. Before that, he was convicted in Champaign County for the manufacture and delivery of controlled substances. He also has a prior felony conviction for possession of controlled substances while on probation for another felony drug-related offense.

“Rekasius is already a violent career criminal at the age of 31. Given his history of repeatedly breaking the law without compunction, it is no surprise that he committed further felonies here in Will County while out on bond,” Glasgow said. “We are fortunate that no one was injured when Rekasius fired shots from his weapon, but his conduct demonstrates that he is a dangerous and volatile loose cannon who needs to be behind bars. The law-abiding citizens of Will County have an absolute right to be protected from indiscriminately violent offenders like Tomas Rekasius.”

Rekasius will not receive credit in this case for time served because he currently is still serving his sentence in the Cook County felony case. He will begin the sentence in this case after completion of the Cook County sentence. It will be served at 85 percent. Rekasius also will serve 3 years of mandatory supervised release.

Glasgow thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Christine Vukmir and Chelsea Selvey, Victim Witness Advocate Danette Pasdertz, and Assistant Kendall Ziech for their hard work in this case.