Pipe Bomb Defendant Seeks Jail Release, Will He Return To Channahon?

JOLIET — After spending more than four months in the Will County Jail, 38-year-old Channahon pipe bomb defendant Bill Fossett has hired switched attorneys, hiring downtown Joliet criminal defense lawyer Cosmo Tedone, who has petitioned Will County's judges to release his client from the jail.

Court records indicate that Fossett's next hearing is Friday, and the matter involves the topic of referring Fossett's case to Will County's mental health court.

According to one filing from Tedone seeking his client's pretrial release, Fossett has no likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution. Tedone also informed Will County's judicial system that Fossett has a high school diploma and has lived in Channahon the past four years.

According to Tedone, Fossett owns his home and has three children, ages 6,7 and 16, and pays $1,000 per month in child support. At the time of Fossett's arrest on Halloween, the Channahon criminal defendant listed his monthly wages as zero dollars for the court records. However, according to Tedone's filing, "the defendant makes approximately $150,000 to $200,000 per year" and "the defendant has a potential opportunity to work with U.S. Steel."

During these past four-plus months in the Will County Jail, Fossett "has been enrolled in Bible Study, Narcotics Anonymous and Anger Management" and "defendant has no significant criminal history," Fossett's lawyer pointed out.

Lastly, Tedone noted in his court filings, Fossett's mother has stage four cancer.

In November, Joliet Patch published a story headlined, "Pipe Bomb Intended To Blow Up Trick-Or-Treaters: Prosecutors."

Patch reported that Channahon police raided Fossett's house on South Deal Avenue during the early morning hours of Halloween. Fossett was arrested at the time of the raid after Channahon police "uncovered what appeared to be an explosive device," court documents show.

The Illinois State Police bomb squad was called and the Fossett's device was composed of galvanized piping and end caps with a fuse protruding from one end, according to prosecutors.

While being taken to the Channahon police station, Fossett reacted with surprise, exclaiming, "You guys are arrested me for the pipe bomb cause kids were scaring me?"

Back at the police station, Fossett explained that "he intended to place the device in a bowl of candy for approaching children, as it was Halloween," prosecutors noted.

Illinois State Police determined the pipe bomb device was safe. An X-ray of the device showed it was still empty; however, a jar of nails was found directly next to the device. Officers also found two more threaded pipes and 200 rounds of ammunition and 2.2 grams of methamphetamine inside Fossett's house, prosecutors noted.

Will County has charged Fossett with attempted possession of explosives/incendiary devices, attempted use of weapons, possession of meth and illegal possession of ammunition.