A man, who was released pre-trial by a McHenry County judge only to be arrested by federal authorities, is now facing federal charges for allegedly abandoning his baby to commit a bank robbery in McHenry.
The McHenry Police Department responded around 10:44 a.m. on May 6 to the Huntington Bank, 5555 West Bull Valley Road in McHenry, for a report of an armed bank robbery.
An investigation determined Peter A. Sova, 36, of McHenry, entered the bank and approached a teller, police officials said.
Sova allegedly passed a note to the teller demanding cash while brandishing what the teller believed to be a handgun.
An affidavit from an FBIÂ agent filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois said the robber, described as a male wearing a hooded oversized sweatshirt, sunglasses, cream-colored pants and black gloves, stated in the note: “This is a robbery. Please give me your money in 10 seconds.”
The suspect then pointed to a bag and lifted it, showing the teller what they believed was the muzzle of a firearm.
The teller provided the robber with $4,895 in cash and he fled the bank on foot eastbound, the affidavit said.
A McHenry County sheriff’s canine began tracking the suspect’s path to a wood line southeast of Huntington Bank.
Officers of the McHenry Police Department located Sova in a field on the property of The Church of Holy Apostles, 5211 West Bull Valley Road in McHenry.
The affidavit said Sova was exiting the wood line carrying a bag, which he immediately dropped when he saw officers, and began walking away from it.
Officers made contact with Sova and he reportedly asked, “Have you caught the bank robber yet?”
The bag contained the exact amount of stolen cash and had Huntington Bank-labeled currency straps, the affidavit said.
Officers located a blue bag 50 yards away containing sunglasses and two sweatshirts that matched the robber’s description.
While investigating the incident, officers learned Sova allegedly left his 9-month-old child home alone.
Police officials said officers responded to Sova’s residence to check the welfare of the child and took him into protective custody.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was notified and the child was released to the custody of his mother.
Sova denied his involvement in the robbery during an interview.
He said he left his child alone to get cigarettes from the BP gas station located near the bank, the affidavit said. He did not have his wallet with him at the time of arrest.
Sova was initially charged in McHenry County Circuit Court with aggravated robbery, theft over $500 and one count of child abandonment.
McHenry County Judge Michael Chmiel denied prosecutors’ petition to detain him pending trial and released Sova from the McHenry County Jail with pre-trial conditions.
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Sova upon his release and he was charged federally with bank robbery.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to have Sova detained pending trial and a detention hearing was held on Friday.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez denied the request and found there were certain conditions that could be put in place to deal with the risk of dangerousness and non-appearance in court.
Valdez ordered Sova to be released to a “third-party custodian” and reside with them while being placed on electronic home monitoring.
She also ordered Sova to not possess any weapons, not consume drugs and participate in substance use treatment if needed.