Defendant pleads guilty to punching man in Woodstock who sent wife texts, gets 4-year prison term

A man angry over text messages sent to his wife pleaded guilty Monday to striking the man who sent them.

Robert Caldwell, 39, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery of a person older than 60, according to a judgment order in McHenry County court signed by Judge Tiffany Davis. Caldwell, who had addresses listed in official records both in Woodstock and Wonder Lake, was sentenced to four years in prison and is required to serve half his term followed by six months of mandatory supervised release.

He is receiving credit for 374 days spent in the county jail, according to the order.

Caldwell, angered after a man sent text messages to his wife, punched the man with a closed fist in the jaw June 27 outside Walden Oaks Apartments in Woodstock, Judge Carl Metz said during Caldwell’s detention hearing last year.

The man Caldwell punched fell backward onto the pavement and suffered a brain bleed, according to authorities and court documents.

Metz detained Caldwell at the time, saying the allegations were “vicious” and noting his criminal history, which included two convictions in 2022 involving two separate cases of misdemeanor domestic battery and a 2019 conviction for battery after kicking a security officer in the groin, according to criminal complaints in the cases. In a 2015 case, Caldwell also was convicted of aggravated driving under the influence with at least three previous DUI violations and was sentenced to three years in prison, court records show.

In the current case, in exchange for his plea of guilty, two additional counts of aggravated battery were dismissed. While in custody, Caldwell completed programs addressing behavior modification and life skills, according to the order.

Caldwell’s attorney, Brian Stevens, said Caldwell is “very remorseful” and “wanted to accept responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty.”

“Since being incarcerated, he has spent his time trying to make himself a better person through programs such as anger management, Malachi Dads and significant Bible studies,” Stevens said, adding that in court Monday, Caldwell turned to the victim, apologized, “and asked for his forgiveness.”