SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man facing charges after police allege he pistol whipped a man in his apartment and raped the man’s girlfriend at gunpoint in front of her children was denied bail Friday afternoon.
DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Montgomery ruled on the matter during a virtual closed circuit court hearing from the DeKalb County Courthouse, ruling that Robert D. Gaillard, 28, will remain in jail without bond.
Gaillard, of the 900 block of Regent Drive, is charged with home invasion, aggravated criminal sexual assault, both Class X felonies and resisting a police officer. If convicted of the most serious offense, he could face up to 30 years or life in jail and fines up to $250,000.
He’s one of four facing charges in a violent attack Tuesday, which stemmed from a spat on the social media platform Snapchat and involved three others also facing charges.
During his bond hearing Friday at 1 p.m., Montgomery’s ruling came after DeKalb County Assistant State’s Attorney Suzanne Collins revealed more information about the case. Collins said DeKalb police reported that three witnesses — the man who was allegedly struck in the head multiple times by a pistol wielded by Gaillard, the woman who allegedly was raped at gunpoint by Gaillard while her children were in the room, and a third person — picked Gaillard’s face out of a lineup following the incident Tuesday.
The male victim’s brother called 911 when the incident occurred around 1:17 a.m. Tuesday, and when police arrived they saw Gaillard attempting to flee the area, Collins said. Police reported they also found a firearm matching the description of the one used to strike the male victim lying on the ground along the same route Gaillard used in an attempt to flee the area, Collins said.
“There is no condition or combination of conditions that can reasonably assure the safety of other persons, and the state’s motion to hold the defendant without bail is granted,” Montgomery said Friday, ruling his motion based on the charges against Gaillard and the close proximity to where Gaillard lives and the victims live, among other factors.
On Tuesday morning after the attack, as Gaillard attempted to run from the scene, he was also injured, breaking both his ankles. He appeared for his bond hearing Friday via Zoom, and was in a wheelchair in the DeKalb County Jail.
Gaillard could be seen shaking his head in disagreement as his charges were read Friday, and said ‘no’ multiple times in response to the rape allegations.
Gaillard’s defense attorney, public defender Chip Criswell, argued that Montgomery should grant Gaillard bail because there was not enough evidence to say beyond a reasonable doubt that Gaillard was the one responsible for the rape or battery of the two victims in an apartment in the 800 block of Spiros Court.
“I don’t think the state’s presented enough evidence or information to deny bail,” Criswell said, who also said Gaillard’s injuries lowered the chance he would be a danger to any of the alleged victims were he to be released.
Criswell said he doesn’t believe there is any video of the attack from the apartment either.
Gaillard will remain in DeKalb County Jail, and is next set to appear before DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Robbin Stuckert for arraignment Feb. 9 at 2:30 p.m.
Updated at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2021.
Four people are facing charges after DeKalb police said an argument on Snapchat led to a violent confrontation in which a DeKalb man was pistol whipped and his girlfriend was raped at gunpoint in front of her children.
All four people involved appeared this week in virtual DeKalb County court for bond hearings.
DeKalb acting Police Chief Bob Redel called the crime “horrific,” and said investigators continue to piece together what happened.
Redel said the male victim did not seek hospital treatment for his head injuries, although his girlfriend was treated and released at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital. Their children were not injured.
According to DeKalb County court records and DeKalb Police Department records, the incident happened in the early morning hours Tuesday in two locations, each with two sets of victims: a fight in the parking lot of the 800 block of Edgebrook Drive, and later in an apartment in the 800 block of Spiros Court which involved home invasion, battery and a violent rape.
Those charged in connection with the incident include four people who all live at the same address, in the 900 block of Regent Drive in DeKalb.
A social media spat turns violent
Records allege two sisters – Alexis S. Mackey, 24, and Brianna P. Mackey, 25, of DeKalb – got into an argument with some coworkers on the social media platform Snapchat, then met up with two people in the parking lot in the 800 block of Edgebrook Drive about 1 a.m. Tuesday “to fight,” according to a DeKalb police report.
It is unclear what the alleged social media argument was about at this time, Redel said. Police initially arrived at the scene because reports of gunfire, after the fight was over.
Court records state Brianna drove to the parking lot in a white SUV, accompanied by her sister, Alexis, who worked with the victims at a local retail box store.
Video surveillance from the area shows a fight ensued between the sisters and two victims, with the Mackeys being the alleged aggressors, according to records. Toward the end of the fight, during which all involved were kicked or struck, Brianna Mackey allegedly fired a gun into the air and the two sisters drove off.
Police later found an FC 9mm Luger round bullet casing near the area, a bullet commonly used for semi-automatic pistols.
A pistol also was allegedly used by Brianna Mackey’s boyfriend, Robert. D. Gaillard, also facing charges, to bludgeon a male victim in his apartment about 20 minutes later.
“We believe it’s the same gun,” Redel said.
Alexis Mackey is charged with aggravated battery, a Class X felony and mob action.
Brianna Mackey is charged with aggravated battery, a Class X felony, reckless discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and mob action.
If convicted of the most serious crime, which is aggravated battery for both sisters, they could face up to 30 years in jail and $250,000 in fines.
During their bond hearings in front of DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Montgomery on Wednesday, both sisters were released on a $5,000 recognizance bond and ordered to appear for a virtual status hearing at 9 a.m. March 19.
Violence continues
Police believe after the fight involving the Mackey sisters and two victims ended, the sisters returned home to their apartment in the 900 block of Regent Drive, to tell Brianna Mackey’s boyfriend, Robert D. Gaillard, and his friend, Awaan Woods, what occurred.
“They go back home, tell the guys in the apartment what happened, they get upset and go and confront somebody in this other apartment,” Redel said.
Redel said police at this time believe both sets of victims – the two in the parking lot and the two in the apartment on Spiros Court – are connected and worked with Alexis Mackey or were involved in the Snapchat argument.
About 20 minutes after the Mackey sisters’ fight, around 1:17 a.m. Tuesday, records allege Robert D. Gaillard, 28, and Awaan Woods, 25, broke down the door of the apartment of a DeKalb man and his girlfriend, who live in an apartment on Spiros Court.
Gaillard was armed with a black semi-automatic firearm, which police later recovered outside the apartment, and Woods with a knife, records show.
Gaillard allegedly pistol whipped the male victim and struck him multiple times in the head with his fists, while Woods pointed a knife into his face. Gaillard then allegedly ordered the victim’s girlfriend, who had come out when she heard the commotion, to go back into the bedroom where her children slept.
Gaillard then held a gun to her head and raped her, forcing her also to perform oral sex on him, court records allege.
According to court records, Gaillard accused the man of arranging to have the Mackey sisters beat up. Gaillard later told police he had battered the male victim and touched the female victim below her waist over her clothes, records show.
On Tuesday, Gaillard appeared virtually from the DeKalb County Jail in a wheelchair, and told the judge he’d broken both his ankles, as they appeared in casts.
“When the officers arrived on the scene, Gaillard was still there,” Redel said. “He tried to take off and jumped over balconies.”
Redel said police believe Gaillard hopped an interior balcony inside the Spiros Court apartment complex and broke both his ankles when he landed.
Woods is charged with home invasion, a Class X felony, unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon and obstructing identification after police allege he first gave them a fake name when being interviewed. If convicted of the most serious crime, home invasion, Woods could face up to 30 years in jail or a life sentence, and fines up to $250,000.
Woods also is currently on parole out of the Danville Corrections Center for aggravated battery to a pregnant person and domestic battery.
Montgomery issued a $150,000 bond for Woods, who would have to post $15,000 to get out of jail. Since he’s on parole hold, however, he’ll remain in jail through his second appearance, set for 2:30 p.m. Feb. 18.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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