OTTAWA, Ill. — Matthew N. McBee, of Ottawa, has been charged with unlawful restraint, domestic battery causing bodily harm, aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon, and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, following his arrest on July 22, 2026. The case is being prosecuted in LaSalle County Circuit Court under case number 2026CF000322.
By Willow Moss | Moss and Ink | First published August 18, 2026
Case Status
- Current status: Indicted on two counts; awaiting jury trial
- Next court date: Jury pre-trial conference, September 24, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
- Charges: Unlawful Restraint (Class 4 Felony) and Domestic Battery Causing Bodily Harm (Class 4 Felony) — the two counts advanced to indictment. Originally filed counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence were not advanced.
- Custody status: Denied pretrial release; held at LaSalle County Jail
- Case number: 2026CF000322
- Court: LaSalle County Circuit Court
- Prosecution: Assistant State’s Attorneys Laura Hall and Matthew E. Novotney
- Defense: Public Defender Ryan Hamer
- Presiding judge: Michelle A. Vescogni
- Last updated: August 27, 2026
Incident Summary
Matthew N. McBee, an Ottawa man, was arrested July 22, 2026 on charges stemming from a domestic incident. The publicly available court docket does not include a detailed narrative of the underlying events, and as of publication, no law-enforcement press release has been made. This report will be updated if additional details become available.
Suspect Background
- Matthew N. McBee, of Ottawa
- Has a lengthy criminal history, including one to two prior convictions
Arrest & Charges
- Arrested: July 22, 2026
- Indicted: July 28, 2026
- Location: Ottawa
- Custody: Denied pretrial release; held at LaSalle County Jail
| Count | Charge | Classification (per docket) | Advanced to indictment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unlawful Restraint | Class 4 Felony | Yes — July 28, 2026 |
| 2 | Domestic Battery Causing Bodily Harm (with prior conviction) | Class 4 Felony | Yes — July 28, 2026 |
| 3 | Aggravated Assault / Use of a Deadly Weapon | Class A (as listed on docket) | No |
| 4 | Interfering with the Reporting of Domestic Violence | Class A (as listed on docket) | No |
Charge classifications above are transcribed directly from the LaSalle County court docket as filed and have not been independently verified against the Illinois Compiled Statutes. A grand jury advanced Counts 1 and 2 to indictment on July 28, 2026; Counts 3 and 4 were not advanced.
Case Timeline & Proceedings
July 22, 2026 — Arrest
Matthew N. McBee was arrested on charges including unlawful restraint and domestic battery causing bodily harm.
July 23, 2026 — First appearance / detention hearing
McBee was assigned public defender Ryan Hamer. The court denied pretrial release, ordering him held at the LaSalle County Jail.
July 28, 2026 — Indictment
A LaSalle County grand jury indicted McBee on two of the four originally filed counts: unlawful restraint and domestic battery causing bodily harm. The aggravated assault and interfering-with-reporting counts were not advanced to indictment.
July 30, 2026 — Arraignment
McBee appeared before Judge Vescogni and entered pleas of not guilty on both counts.
September 24, 2026 — Jury pre-trial conference
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
October 5, 2026 — Jury trial
Trial is currently scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.
How to Follow This Case
- LaSalle County Circuit Court case number: 2026CF000322, searchable via the LaSalle County Circuit Clerk online docket or public access terminal (www.lasallecountyil.gov/circuit-clerk).
- Next hearing to watch: jury pre-trial conference on September 24, 2026.
- Jury trial currently scheduled to begin October 5, 2026.
Domestic Violence Resources
- If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
- Safe Journeys (serving LaSalle and Livingston Counties) 24/7 crisis line: 815-673-1555 or toll-free 800-892-3375; offices in Ottawa, Peru, Mendota, Streator, and at IVCC.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. All information is sourced from publicly available court filings and official case records; as of publication, no additional news coverage of this case could be located. Individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
—Willow Moss