Rock Falls man sent to prison for 18 years for ‘drug-fueled’ 2023 standoff at Dixon’s Magnuson Hotel

DIXON – Despite his insistence that he is a changed man, a Rock Falls felon was sentenced to up to 18 years in prison Wednesday in connection with a December 2023 standoff at a Dixon hotel, where police were called after he threatened another man with a gun, and four guns and an assortment of drugs were found in his room.

Steven M. Armoska, 30, will have to serve 85% of his sentence and will be on mandatory supervised release for three years once he is released, Lee County Circuit Court Judge Jacquelyn Ackert ruled during Wednesday morning’s sentencing hearing. He pleaded guilty Sept. 25 to four counts of being an armed habitual criminal, Class X felonies that each carried a possible six- to 30-year prison sentence.

Seven other charges were dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea: one count of armed violence, which has a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30, with an 85% mandatory minimum that must be served; four counts of being a felon in possession of a weapon, which carries a sentence of three to 14 years; possession of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, which carries two to five years; and possession of more than 100 but less than 500 grams of marijuana, which carries one to three years.

The charges stemmed from a Dec. 17, 2023, standoff at the Magnuson Hotel at 443 Route 2. Both Armoska and the man he threatened, who called 911, were staying at the now-closed Magnuson, which is next door to Brandywine Banquets & Restaurant.

Dixon police, Lee County sheriff’s deputies and Illinois state troopers were called to the hotel about 9:30 a.m. that day for a report of a man pulling a gun on another man. Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan testified during Wednesday’s hearing that as soon as officers knew they were dealing with Armoska, they called in the Lee County Joint Operations Group – the county’s SWAT team – to assist. In all, up to 30 officers were at the scene, and hotel guests were evacuated, Whelan said, acknowledging that officers had received information previously that Armoska had guns and was selling drugs out of the hotel room.

Armoska remained holed up in Room 223 for about six hours, surrendering after officers tossed tear gas into the hotel room. No shots were fired, and no one was injured. A search of Armoska’s room turned up three pistols, a sawed-off shotgun, marijuana, cocaine, meth and Xanax, Whelan testified.

Whelan also testified that Armoska, during his ride to the jail Dec. 17, told a deputy that if he had been more with it, there would have been a gunfight, and he would have “taken out 10 officers.”

“I think we took a very dangerous individual off the streets that day,” Whelan testified.

Lee County State’s Attorney Charley Boonstra said that when all things were considered, an 18-year prison sentence was appropriate.

But Armoska’s attorney, Robert Thompson, said a six-year sentence was more appropriate. He spoke to the trauma that Armoska faced as a very young child, how that played a role in his struggles, and how Armoska was so drug-fueled Dec. 17 that he recalls very little of the events of the day. He also talked about brain studies that point to changes that occur in the human brain between the ages of 29 and 34, how Armoska is heading into that age range now, and how he could change for the better during that time.

“If we believe in the studies, we have to believe in potential,” Thompson said.

Armoska’s recovery coach also read a letter to the court to support Armoska and committed to mentoring him into the future.

Armoska, backed by a large group of supporters who filled the courtroom, said that during the year he spent in jail he has become a different person. He is in substance-abuse recovery, has reconnected with his faith, has cleaned up his life, and is focusing on his education so that he can get a degree and help others. He also agreed that he had been a dangerous person and is thankful that he is now free from his previous life, which he described as one of misery.

A father of two young children, Armoska is a 2013 Rock Falls High School graduate and a former school quarterback. He told the court that he is saddened by what he missed in life, how he had been a three-sport athlete in high school and had thrown it away on the drugs he started using at age 12 and was addicted to at age 16.

“I haven’t felt this happy and peaceful in many years,” he said, turning to the gallery of supporters, thanking each of them one by one for helping him and pledging that he would maintain sobriety. “I know it won’t be easy, but each day will be an accomplishment.”

When sentencing Armoska, Ackert listed his previous criminal history, which she said grew increasingly violent over time. He was on pretrial release in a domestic battery case at the time of the standoff, she said.

She said he was charged in 2015 in Lee County court and pleaded guilty in 2018 to reckless discharge of a firearm. He was sentenced to one year and six months in prison.

In June 2017, Armoska was sentenced in Whiteside County to seven years in prison for a 2015 robbery; one count of armed robbery was dismissed.

He was convicted in Whiteside County for a 2020 drug possession charge and sentenced to two years in prison, and was convicted again in Whiteside County on a 2022 weapons charge and sentenced to two years in prison, according to court records.

When announcing the 18-year sentence, Ackert said she could only make a sentencing determination based on his previous history and couldn’t predict a defendant’s potential and how that could factor into sentencing.

“The court doesn’t possess a crystal ball,” she said.