Sabey pleads not guilty to kidnapping, domestic battery

Sheila McGuire, Herald Reporter
Posted 2/28/19

Evanston man arraigned for kidnapping, domestic battery

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Sabey pleads not guilty to kidnapping, domestic battery

Posted

EVANSTON — Tyler J. Sabey, 32, of Evanston, appeared in Third District Court on Tuesday, Feb. 26, when he was arraigned on charges of kidnapping and two counts of domestic battery related to incidents that occurred with his girlfriend, Rachel Bezanson, in mid-January. Sabey entered not guilty pleas to all charges. 

Sabey was arrested after police responded to the residence he shared with Bezanson following a request for a welfare check on the woman for concerns she was being abused by Sabey. When Bezanson spoke with officers, she reported an incident days earlier in which Sabey had allegedly become violent and forcefully prevented her from leaving their residence for several days. Court documents filed in the case state officers observed extensive bruising, abrasions, cuts and swollen areas on the woman’s head, face and arms along with her shoulders and legs. 

An affidavit also states a friend of the couple said he saw Sabey punch Bezanson in the head, knocking her to the floor, and witnessed Sabey preventing her from leaving the home. 

Sabey is charged with felony kidnapping for unlawfully confining the woman with the intent to inflict bodily injury or terrorize her, along with the two misdemeanor counts of domestic battery. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the kidnapping count and a maximum of six months each for the domestic battery counts. He also faces a potential of $11,500 in fines. 

District Court Judge Joseph Bluemel scheduled a two-day trial to begin on June 4, and ordered that Sabey undergo a presentence investigation and a substance abuse assessment.