A Harvard man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on an attempted murder charge for shooting a man in the neck and fleeing to Wisconsin.
Frank M. Amato, 46, of the 500 block of West McKinley Street in Harvard, was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, reckless discharge of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, and reckless conduct.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office reached a negotiated plea deal with Amato.
Amato pleaded guilty to one count of attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony, and in exchange prosecutors dismissed the rest of the man’s charges.
McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt approved the plea deal on Wednesday and sentenced Amato to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The case stems from an incident in the 1100 block of North Hayes Street in Harvard.
The Harvard Police Department responded around 9:12 p.m. on March 31, 2020, after receiving a report of shots fired.
Officers located a 37-year-old man lying in the driveway of a residence with a gunshot wound to his neck, court documents said.
Paramedics with the Harvard Fire Protection District treated the man and transported him to Mercy Hospital in Harvard.
He was later transferred to Javon Bea Hospital—Riverside in Rockford for additional treatment.
Harvard Deputy Police Chief Tyson Bauman said at the time that a white truck was seen leaving southbound from the scene towards McKinley Street following the shooting.
The Lake Delton, Wisconsin Police Department located the white truck two hours later in their jurisdiction and arrested Amato.
The case was investigated by members of the Harvard Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Randi Freese.