Kane County Man Accused Of Tampering With Home's Natural Gas Line

KANE COUNTY, IL — A Waterman man who previously lived in Batavia faces attempted murder charges stemming from accusations he tampered with an Elburn home's natural gas line so that gas would spray into the home while someone was inside it. According to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's office, 33-year-old Frank E. Ryan, of the 300 block of North Cedar Street in Waterman, is accused of knowing someone was inside the home when he rerouted the line. Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon approved several charges against Ryan, including:

• Two counts of felony attempted murder
• Felony criminal damage to property
• Two counts of misdemeanor reckless conduct
• Two counts of misdemeanor battery

According to the news release, Kane County prosecutors claim that during the morning Jan. 19, Ryan rerouted an exposed natural gas line by drilling a hole in it outside a home on Downing Street in Elburn, in addition to drilling a hole through the home’s outside wall, connecting a tube to the gas line, and then placing the other end of the tube through the hole and into the home.

According to the state's attorney's office, Ryan is said to have purchased the materials used in the Jan. 19 tampering the previous day, and is also accused of covering a doorbell camera at the Elburn home with duct tape.

Two people were inside at the time, and that's when the homeowner discovered the tube and called 911, according to the news release. No one was hurt, the state's attorney's office added.

Ryan appeared in Kane County bond court Sunday, where Kane County Circuit Judge René Cruz set his bail at $200,000, with 10 percent ($20,000) to apply for bond, according to the news release. If Ryan posts bond, he's ordered to have no contact with the victims, no contact with a specified person who is known by Ryan and the victim, and he is to surrender any firearms and a FOID card, the news release said.

Judge Cruz set Ryan’s next court appearance for 9 a.m. Thursday at the Kane County Judicial Center, according to the news release.

The Elburn Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s office, the Waterman Police Department, and the Aurora Police Department, the state's attorney's office added.