Bond stays at $15,000 for accused rapist, kidnapper

Dominique D. McClendon, 20, of Knoxville, IL, was charged with kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual assault, both Class X felonies that are punishable by between 6 and 30 years in prison in Illinois. He was in Judge Steven Bordner's court tring to get his bail lowered from $15,000 to $1500, which his girlfriend had raised by taking out a loan, but Judge Bordner refused, stating that the seriousness of the crimes and the parole violation for the Class 4 felony he was previously convicted of precluded that.

According to police, McClendon abducted a 17-year-old woman near Knox and Henderson streets, where she had been walking, at about 6:30 p.m. May 4. Officer Joe Luna, with the Galesburg Police Department, testified that the victim entered his car in fear of her life, as McClendon told her he “had a gun.”

Luna said the woman told him she was driven around Galesburg and Knox County. She also said she was forced to perform oral sex on McClendon twice, once near Lake Bracken and once near Abingdon.The victim said she vomited inside the car at one point, hoping to leave some evidence behind in case McClendon killed her. She said she learned to do that from watching the “CSI” television series.The woman was dropped off somewhere near Ill. 116 and 117 later that evening, and she flagged down a passing motorist.

McClendon will be formally arrigned on June 11. He faces 6 to 30 years in prison for each count.