Wilmington man sentenced to maximum of 104 years in prison for sexually assaulting girl with cerebral palsy

in

October 24

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Tuesday that a 69-year-old Wilmington man who sexually abused a 14-year-old girl who has cerebral palsy received the maximum sentence of 104 years in prison for his crime.

In handing down the stiffest sentence possible under the law Tuesday, Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak said he agreed with prosecutors who had called Lawrence Southwood a predator. The judge said that in his 30 years serving in the criminal justice system, he had never seen a crime that had “reached this level.”

“The victim in this case had absolutely no means whatsoever of running or walking away or doing anything to get herself out of the situation she was in,” Rozak said during sentencing, adding: “She was totally, totally defenseless.”

A jury in August convicted Southwood on three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Southwood also has served time in prison on charges of rape and attempted murder in cases dating back to the 1960s.

In sentencing Southwood, the judge took into consideration the extent of the victim’s disability and the defendant’s criminal history.

“Lawrence Southwood will spend the rest of his life in prison for committing these unbelievably depraved acts of sexual abuse against a vulnerable young girl,” Glasgow said. “She fought back against this sick predator on the witness stand, and today she received some measure of justice for the innocence he stole.”

The state’s attorney added: “Judge Rozak’s well-researched decision to impose the maximum sentence sends the strongest possible warning to child predators. This crime was a moral outrage, and the judge left no doubt about the severity of punishment necessary to protect our children and deter others from committing such atrocities.”

Southwood, who cared for the victim while her mother was away, sexually molested the girl on at least three occasions between August and December 2005. The victim testified during the trial that Southwood committed these acts in her mother’s bedroom while her mother was working or away from the house.

The girl has minimal control of her body and cannot sit upright without assistance. She spends much of her time in a wheelchair equipped with a harness to support her. During the trial, she testified Southwood took her out of her wheelchair and arranged her on the bed before he sexually abused her.

Testimony during a four-day trial in August also revealed that Southwood paid the victim’s mother $10,000 to remain silent about the sexual abuse. The mother, Kimberly Riordan, 32, of Wilmington, faces one count of criminal neglect of a disabled person, one count of obstructing justice and one count of concealing a fugitive. Her trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 4.

Southwood was arrested on Dec. 25 after his own adult daughter contacted a detective from the state’s attorney’s office with allegations he had sexually abused a minor.

A skilled forensic interviewer from the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center took the girl’s statement regarding the sexual abuse on Dec. 23. Glasgow established the center in 1995 to assist law enforcement in obtaining statements from sexually abused children that will hold up in court against sexual predators.

Assistant State’s Attorneys Lea Norbut-Sicinski, who heads the state’s attorney’s criminal division, and John Connor entered a tape of that interview into evidence during the trial.

Southwood confessed the sexual abuse to Detective Sgt. Dave Margliano of the Channahon Police Department. Margliano, who investigated the case, is on special assignment to the state’s attorney’s office. The detective interviewed Southwood at the Will County Jail shortly after his arrest.

Southwood later told a convicted prostitute and his cellmate at the Will County Jail about the sexual abuse. 

Glasgow praised everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution of Southwood, including Norbut-Sicinski, Connor, Margliano, Mary Jane Pluth, who interviewed the victim for the Children’s Advocacy Center, and Kelly Sullivan, the state’s attorney’s victim-witness advocate.

Glasgow credited Margliano, a detective with extensive experience investigating child sex abuse allegations, with breaking the Southwood case open. It was through one of the many sources he has cultivated over his career that led him to investigate Southwood.

“Everyone involved in this case displayed the level of professionalism and sensitivity that is critical when interviewing young victims of sexual abuse,” the state’s attorney said. “As a result of their fine work, this dangerous sexual abuser will spend his life behind bars where he will never harm another child.”

With regard to the Riordan case, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office reminds the public that charges are not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

WJOL’s Scott Slocum to emcee Children’s Advocacy Center fundraiser; abuse victims in Will, Grundy and Kendall counties helped by center

in

October 23

JOLIET – WJOL morning man Scott Slocum will emcee an evening of fun that will raise money for an important cause: The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

Tickets are on sale now for The Children’s Advocacy Center’s annual fundraiser, which will be from 6-9 p.m., Nov. 15, at IBEW Local 176 Hall, 1100 N.E. Frontage Road in Joliet. Dinner and a cash bar will cost $100 donation per person.

The not-for-profit center’s professionally trained staff interviews children who are the victims of sexual abuse. The children’s statements, which are recorded in a non-suggestive, non-threatening environment, have been used in the successful prosecutions of literally hundreds of sexual predators in Will, Grundy and Kendall counties over the past decade.

“The Children’s Advocacy Center helps protect our children by bringing dangerous sex abusers to justice,” said Slocum, who also serves on the center’s board of directors. “The team there does important work, but it costs money to provide these services. That’s why we’re hoping to see a big turnout during the annual fundraiser on Nov. 15.”

As a non-profit, 501-c-3 agency, the Children’s Advocacy Center depends on grants, private donations, and fundraising to operate. It costs an average of $705 to interview each child brought to the center.

Raffle tickets that offer exciting prizes are currently being sold in conjunction with the November fundraiser. Those tickets cost $20 each and are available by calling (815) 727-0710.

First prize in the raffle is a sports package consisting of Bulls floor seats, NASCAR & IRL racing tickets and more. Second prize is a two-night stay in vacation home in Galena, Ill. Third prize is a 32-inch, high-definition LCD television. Fourth prize is an overnight stay and dinner for two at Resorts East Chicago. Fifth prize includes four Rialto Square Theatre tickets to “Clifford, the Big Red Dog.” Sixth and seventh prizes are 90-day unlimited memberships at Cardinal Fitness Center. The drawing will be held the night of the event.

Organizers also are seeking sponsorships for the event. Gold sponsorships are available for $1,000 and Silver sponsorships are available for $500.

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow established The Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995. His goal was to assist law enforcement in obtaining statements from sexually abused children that will hold up in court and enable prosecutors to convict sexual predators. The state’s attorney said it also was critical to develop a more sensitive and cohesive approach to interviewing children who are victimized by sexual abuse.

“Ten years ago, these frightened children were interviewed multiple times, starting with police and continuing with doctors, child welfare advocates and prosecutors,” Glasgow said. “The process was traumatic. And as you might expect, the multiple statements they made often were inconsistent, making it difficult for my office to prosecute the cases and bring abusers to justice.”

Today, children from every police jurisdiction in Will, Grundy and Kendall counties are brought to the Children’s Advocacy Center for a single interview conducted by a professionally trained forensic interviewer in a neutral, non-threatening, non-suggestive environment.

Cases are managed by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of law enforcement, child welfare professionals and prosecutors. This team gains reliable interviews that enhance the state’s attorney’s ability to successfully prosecute cases.

The center also provides free counseling for victims and family members, access to victim-sensitive medical exams, victim compensation, bilingual services, and other resource and referral services.

“The Children’s Advocacy Center provides services that are critical to the investigation and prosecution of these extremely sensitive cases,” said Sue Bloch, the center’s executive director. “Financial support from the community is essential if we are to continue providing these services. One way to support our efforts and to have some fun in the process is by reserving tickets for our annual dinner.”

To reserve tickets or sponsorships, please call the Center at 815-727-0710.

Bolingbrook day care provider found guilty of burning child with hot water

in

October 19

JOLIET — Will County State’s Attorney James W. Glasgow announced Thursday that a Bolingbrook day care provider was found guilty of burning the hand of a 2-year old child who was under her care.

Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes convicted Sharon Holt, 35, formerly of 139 Springleaf Drive, Bolingbrook of one count of aggravated battery to a child at the conclusion of a four-day bench trial Thursday.

The charge is a Class X felony, which carries a potential sentence of six to 30 years in prison with no possibility for probation. Policandriotes is scheduled to sentence Holt on January 4.

Holt cared for the 2-year-old boy at her home, which she called “Big Momma’s Day Care.” On Dec. 1, 2004, the defendant immersed the child’s hand in water that was hotter than 115 degrees. The child suffered a second-degree burn, requiring three surgeries and weeks of post-operative physical therapy to treat. His surgeon at one point feared his fingers might meld together while healing.

“Working parents place absolute faith in the day care providers they entrust with their children’s safety and well-being each day,” Glasgow said. “Sharon Holt violated that trust by plunging this helpless child’s hand into scalding water. Not only will she go to prison for her crime, but her felony conviction will ensure that she can never again hold a license that will allow her to legally care for other people’s children.”

The defendant initially said the child suffered a cut, and she offered ointment to the boy’s mother when she picked him up. Holt later told police she accidentally ran hot water instead of cold on the boy’s hand while washing the cut.

But three physicians testified during the trial that they examined the wound and found no evidence of a cut.

The director of the Child Protective Services team at Children’s Memorial Hospital, Dr. Emalee Flaherty, testified as an expert in the field of child abuse detection. She determined the injury was inflicted intentionally. She observed no splash-mark burns nor any parallel lines of burn, both of which would have been consistent with the child’s hand being placed under hot running water. The wound was an immersion burn, with a clear line of injury on the front and back of the hand, she testified.

Glasgow credited Bolingbrook Det. Scott Lustik for conducting a thorough and skillful investigation that enabled Assistant State’s Attorneys Sarah Jones and Jessica Colon-Sayre to successfully prosecute Holt.

“Everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case brought some measure of justice to a little boy who suffered excruciating pain both at the time of the battery and during prolonged medical procedures. They spoke for the child who couldn’t speak for himself,” Glasgow said.

Saltzman convicted of murdering former county treasurer

in

September 26

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Tuesday that the man who brutally beat former Will County Treasurer Jack Weber to death has been found guilty of murder and attempted murder.

A jury deliberated for three hours before finding Brent Saltzman, 26, formerly of Shorewood, guilty of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for the Oct. 8, 2000 beating that caused Weber’s death.

The popular elected official, who was 63-years-old at the time of the attack, suffered massive head injuries from which he never fully recovered. Weber died from a blood clot on Sept. 12, 2002 after spending nearly two years in a nursing home, where he required around-the-clock medical care.

Weber had married Saltzman’s mother, Bonnie. Saltzman was living with his mother and Weber at the county treasurer’s Shorewood home.

Saltzman was celebrating his 21st birthday on the day of the attack and became enraged for some reason when he saw his stepfather wearing a bathrobe.

Jack and Bonnie Weber locked themselves in their master bedroom in an attempt to escape Saltzman’s fury. The defendant, however, kicked through the door, which had been locked with a deadbolt, and chased Weber into his master bathroom.

The powerfully built Saltzman, who was 6-foot, 2-inches tall and weighed 210 pounds, then struck the county treasurer with his elbow, threw him to the bathroom floor and began striking him repeatedly in the head. A brain surgeon who treated Weber following the attack compared his injuries to those a driver who was not wearing a seat belt might suffer in a high-speed collision.

“Brent Saltzman’s attack on Jack Weber was vicious and unprovoked,” Glasgow said. “Out of the goodness of his heart, Jack Weber took Saltzman into his home. This ruthless thug repaid his stepfather’s kindness with a beating that shattered the last two years of Jack Weber’s life and ultimately killed him.”

Bonnie Weber dialed 911 after the attack, and the recording of her call was entered into evidence by prosecutors during the trial. During that call, a panicked Bonnie Weber said, “My son tried to kill my husband.” The Shorewood officer who responded to her call also testified that Bonnie Weber said Saltzman had killed her husband.

Assistant State’s Attorney Neil Adams, who heads Glasgow’s felony division, told jurors during closing arguments that Bonnie Weber was a trained nurse who recognized her son’s attack as an attempt to kill Jack Weber. He urged the jury to accept the account of the beating she gave in her 911 call and to the responding officer.

Assistant State’s Attorney Frank Byers, who also prosecuted the case, reminded jurors that Saltzman’s beating broke the petrous bones on each side of Weber’s face. These bones, which are near the ears, are the hardest bones in the human body, according to testimony. Byers argued that the force of the blows and the damage they caused showed that Saltzman intended to destroy Weber.

The two prosecutors also presented medical evidence that showed Weber died from a blood clot that resulted from the sedentary life forced upon him by Saltzman’s beating. The county treasurer could not stand without assistance and required constant medical care in a nursing home following the attack.

Glasgow praised Adams and Byers for conveying the brutality of the beating and for clearly presenting complicated medical evidence that enabled jurors to return guilty verdicts.

Glasgow knew the county treasurer personally and remembered him for his kindness.

“Jack Weber was the most thoughtful and considerate elected official with whom I have ever dealt,” the state’s attorney said. “He always went out of his way to inquire about my well-being and that of my family, and it was always genuine and heartfelt. I always walked away from an encounter with Jack feeling much better about myself and my lot in life.”

Glasgow also praised Weber’s family members, particularly his daughters, Sue Dienslake and Judith Weber, for their dedication and support following the beating.

“His daughters sacrificed much in caring for their stricken father and no one is more deserving of this jury verdict than they,” he said.

Saltzman was convicted of attempted murder in early 2002 in connection with Weber’s beating and received a 28-year sentence. The charge, however, was upgraded to first-degree murder and the case was scheduled for a new trial after the county treasurer died in September 2002.

Saltzman faces up to 100 years in prison when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Richard Schoenstedt on Nov. 29.

Joliet woman sentenced to three years for threatening witness

in

September 25

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a Will County judge sentenced a Joliet woman to three years in prison for threatening to kill a witness who had testified against her during an eviction hearing.

Addie Holmes, 39, was convicted in August of one count of harassment of a witness. The state alleged that she threatened a witness following an eviction hearing on April 17 at the Will County Courthouse.

Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak sentenced Holmes on Monday.

Holmes first threatened the victim in a courthouse hallway on April 17. This occurred shortly after a judge ordered her to move out of the Evergreen Terrace apartment complex, where she had been living without the management company’s authorization. Thirty minutes later, Holmes again threatened the woman in a hallway at the Joliet apartment complex.

On both occasions, Holmes threatened to kill the woman for testifying against her during the eviction proceedings. The victim, who is also a tenant at Evergreen Terrace, testified at Holmes’ criminal trial in August that she feared for her life.

“My office will not tolerate the intimidation of a witness, particularly when the threats occur inside the courthouse,” Glasgow said. “I will come down hard on anyone who bullies a witness on even the smallest case.”

Glasgow credited Assistant State’s Attorneys Dant Foulk and Mark Fleszewski for securing the conviction that will put Holmes behind bars.

The judge has ordered her sentence to take effect on Oct. 19 pending further motions in the case. Until then, Holmes will remain in custody at the Will County Jail.

Mother charged with murder of 19-month-old daughter

in

September 12

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that his office has filed a first-degree murder charge against a Joliet woman in connection with the January death of her 19-month-old daughter.

The charge alleges that Sarah Campbell-Merker, 27, of the 900 block of Audrey Avenue, caused Jaycee Merker to ingest diphenhydramine knowing that doing so created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.

Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine that is commonly used to treat symptoms associated with allergies, hay fever or the common cold. The medicine also can be taken to treat motion sickness or to induce sleep.

A Will County judge on Tuesday morning approved an arrest warrant with a $2 million bond. Campbell-Merker was accompanied by her attorney when she surrendered to Joliet police Tuesday afternoon without incident. She must post $200,000 in cash to secure her release from the Will County Jail while awaiting trial.

Jaycee Merker was found dead in her crib by her father on the morning of Jan. 10, 2006. An autopsy conducted on the girl on the date of her death determined the cause of death to be “diphenhydramine intoxication.”

“I was profoundly saddened and troubled by the death of this innocent little girl,” Glasgow said. “This distressing case has commanded the attention of Joliet detectives and prosecutors from my office for the past nine months. The decision was made to file the murder charge against the child’s mother only after the completion of an exhaustive investigation.”

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office reminds the public that a charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Beecher area man convicted of murdering his father

in

September 11

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a jury has found a man from unincorporated Beecher guilty of shooting his father to death outside their home 4-1/2 years ago.

The jury deliberated for 11-1/2 hours starting Friday afternoon before convicting Charles Hardig, 40, on one count of first-degree murder for gunning down his father, Richard Hardig, 64, on Jan. 21, 2002 outside their home in rural Will County. The murder trial lasted for 15 days.

Hardig faces possible life in prison when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Richard Schoenstedt on Nov. 17.

Sheriff’s police who responded to a report of a shooting found Richard Hardig curled in a fetal position next to a stoop outside a door to his home. The victim had been shot four times; three bullets were recovered from his body during an autopsy.

Charles Hardig, who was taken into custody after he emerged from a nearby field, admitted to police that night that he shot his father, according to testimony by the arresting officers. But Hardig declined to say why he killed his father or what type of gun he used in the shooting.

However, ballistics tests conducted on a .357-caliber revolver recovered by police from the defendant’s dresser drawer matched the three bullets retrieved from Richard Hardig’s body. Additional tests revealed that the defendant had gunpowder residue on his hands.

“Charles Hardig has refused to say why he shot his father down in cold blood, and we may never know the reason,” Glasgow said. “But we know for certain that he is the killer and that he will be sent to prison for this brutal murder.”

The defendant’s mother, Grace Hardig, initially told police she was playing the organ inside her home when she heard gunshots on the evening her husband was killed. A short time later, Charles Hardig entered the house carrying a long gun, she told police. She told detectives her son also appeared to be carrying a handgun in the pocket of his pants.

But when it came time to testify, a distraught Grace Hardig took the witness stand with a different story. She suggested there was another unidentified man at the scene. Prosecutors described her second version of events as an attempt to shift blame for the shooting to protect her son.

Hardig also testified in his own defense. He said he found his father on the ground and saw his brother’s van speeding from the scene. He also alluded to the possibility that an unidentified intruder shot his father. 

Glasgow commended Assistant State’s Attorneys Sarah Jones, Dede Osterberger and Nicole Moore for helping jurors reach the truth during a long and hard-fought trial with a difficult witness who changed her story.

“They remained focused on the facts and presented their evidence clearly,” the state’s attorney said. “As a result, Charles Hardig will be held accountable for his actions.”

Glasgow also praised Sheriff’s Detectives Michael Guilfoyle and Scott Swearengen for their solid investigative work and for testimony that enabled his prosecutors to prove their case.

Will County Drug Court receives $100,000 grant

in

September 7

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a $100,000 grant to Will County Drug Court  that will provide critical treatment funding for recovering addicts who participate in the program.

In a separate development, the Department of Justice has chosen Will County Drug Court as one of only 10 of the nearly 1,600 drug courts in operation across the nation to participate in a pilot program called “eCourt.” The pilot program is designed to enhance the monitoring and evaluation of drug courts nationwide.

Will County Drug Court is an intensive program designed to integrate drug abusers who have committed non-violent offenses back into the community by helping them break their addictions. Last month, Drug Court marked a significant milestone when its 150th participant graduated from the program.

“The federal grant that I applied for and received will fund necessary treatment and counseling services over the next two years to help non-violent offenders kick the addictions that drove them to commit their crimes in the first place,” Glasgow said. “Everyone benefits when addicts who had previously been a financial burden on society rebound and are able to hold down jobs, pursue educations, own homes, raise families and pay taxes. They become productive, law abiding citizens once the addiction demon is banished from their lives.”

The state’s attorney also noted that the Department of Justice’s decision to include Will County Drug Court in the piloting of the eCourt monitoring system testifies to the success and effective coordination of the local program.

The goal of eCourt is to develop a computer-based monitoring system to generate timely and cost-effective data that can be used to evaluate drug court programs across the nation. The Department of Justice will provide the training and technology necessary to implement eCourt locally.

“Only .06 per cent of the drug courts were selected for the prestigious honor of participating in this most critical monitoring initiative,” Glasgow said. “I can’t imagine a better validation of the incredible success that the Will County Drug Court Program has achieved.” 

Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes, who presides over Will County Drug Court, said the eCourt system will provide staff with crucial information to help them monitor a rapidly expanding program. 

“This pilot program will help us maximize opportunities for communication and enable us to better track our progress so that we can serve the long-term needs of our participants,” the judge said. “The federal grant will allow us to expand our treatment and counseling services for participants. In addition, the grant solidifies the credibility of our Drug Court by showing the community that we are backed by significant federal funding.”

Glasgow believes the eCourt monitoring system will further confirm the human success stories and the cost-effectiveness of drug court programs. 

“A recent study showed that Illinois incarcerates more people for drug offenses than any other state but California,” he said. “These statistics can be attributed in large part to tougher laws that have enabled police to fight the drug dealers who pump poison into our communities. But we must supplement aggressive law enforcement with programs that can help non-violent addicts step out of the revolving door that has been cycling them through the state’s prison system.”

Seventeen years ago the first drug court opened in Miami-Dade County, Florida.  In the following 10 years, 461 additional drug courts came on line throughout the country. By 2006, the number had skyrocketed to nearly 1,600, with an additional 438 in the planning stages.

“This is a testament to the incredible benefit they provide, not only to addicts, but to this great country as a whole, Glasgow said. “Government officials across this land are finally recognizing the long-term benefits of funding effective prevention programs in our criminal justice system. For every dollar we spend on crime prevention, we save $10 to $20 in remedial costs. When it comes to giving the taxpayers the most bang for their buck, funding a drug court program is a no-brainer.”

It costs roughly $3,000 to put a person through Will County Drug Court. By contrast, it costs taxpayers $33,000 annually for each prisoner housed at the Will County Adult Detention Facility and more than $23,000 for those housed in a state prison.

The state’s attorney has had tremendous success working with the Department of Justice to secure funding for Drug Court as well as other programs.

Last week, the department’s Office on Violence Against Women awarded Will County a $750,000 grant to combat domestic violence with an emphasis on prosecuting abusers who violate orders of protection. Glasgow wrote the successful grant application. Will County Executive Larry Walsh filed the application on the state’s attorney’s behalf.

Glasgow spearheaded the creation of the local Drug Court in 1997 by writing a successful $30,000 planning grant application that was awarded by the Department of Justice. A year later, the state’s attorney applied for and received a second $500,000 Department of Justice grant to start the program.

Will County Drug Court has grown from 12 clients in 2000 to more than 50 at any given time.

In Drug Court, prosecutors and defense attorneys work with the judge and treatment providers to help abusers kick their addictions. It is a cost-effective alternative to dumping non-violent drug offenders into state prisons and allowing them to rotate through the system at recidivism rates as high as 70 percent.

Ninety-two percent of those who have graduated from Will County Drug Court have gone on to lead productive, drug-free lives. Only 8 percent of those who have graduated have committed new criminal offenses over the past six years.

Participation in Drug Court is an intensive process. Defendants allowed into the program are carefully screened. They must remain drug free, submit to random drug tests, find employment, follow through with treatment and attend weekly Drug Court sessions if they are to graduate.

Most of the defendants are eligible for probation if they remain in the traditional court system. However, they take a tremendous risk when they opt for Drug Court because failure means prison. In select cases, graduates could see their criminal charges dismissed, enabling them to avoid the lifetime stigma of having a felony conviction.

Telephone book distributor convicted of sexually abusing minor

in

September 1

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a traveling telephone book distributor has been convicted of sexually molesting a young boy at the Empress Casino Hotel in Joliet.

A jury deliberated for less than an hour late Thursday before finding Donald Collins, 53, guilty on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of criminal sexual assault.

Collins, who had been befriended by the victim’s family, sexually abused the boy on two separate occasions at the hotel in 2002 and 2003. However, testimony at this week’s four-day trial revealed that Collins had abused the youth on hundreds of occasions over the years in jurisdictions in Illinois and other states.

The family allowed the youth to travel with Collins to other states while he distributed telephone books, according to trial testimony. The defendant also attempted to control the boy’s life by checking up on him at school functions and forcing the youth to call him when he came home for the evening.

“Donald Collins infiltrated this family so that he could prey repeatedly on a vulnerable and confused young boy,” Glasgow said. “And once the abuse began, this perverted fiend tried to control every facet of this child’s existence through mental, physical and sexual manipulation.”

Glasgow praised the youth, who lived in Grundy County at the time of the abuse, for mustering the courage to tell his family and police about the sexual abuse and for testifying truthfully at this week’s trial.

“The bravery of this young victim must not be understated, because his testimony was the lynchpin of this most critical prosecution,” Glasgow said. “The depravity of Collins’ predatory sexual assaults upon this child is incomprehensible. Without this conviction to stop him from pursuing his twisted desires, Collins would have been a continuing threat, not only to this victim, but to other innocent children as well.”

The multi-jurisdictional investigation into the abuse allegations was headed by District 5 State Police Detective Jeff Liskh.

The trial was prosecuted by Lea Norbut-Sicinski, who heads Glasgow’s criminal division, and Assistant State’s Attorney Alyson DeBell. Will County is the only jurisdiction to secure a conviction against Collins stemming from the investigation.

“Detective Liskh and my assistant state’s attorneys handled the investigation and prosecution of this case with tremendous skill and sensitivity,” Glasgow said. “Their hard work has taken a dangerous predator off our streets. Utilizing the countless incidents of sexual molestation Collins inflicted upon this victim and his prior conviction for sexually abusing a child from Florida, we will seek a sentence that will guarantee that he never has the opportunity to prey upon another child.”

Collins, who has prior convictions that include fondling a child in the early 1980s in Florida, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3. The defendant faces mandatory consecutive sentences on two of the three felony counts. Prosecutors currently are reviewing the defendant’s criminal record to determine the maximum penalty.

He also will be required to register as a sex offender for life. Sex offender registries were not in effect when he was convicted in Florida.

Will County receives $750,000 Federal domestic violence grant

in

August 29

JOLIET – Will County Executive Larry Walsh and Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow reported Tuesday Will County has been awarded a $750,000 federal grant that will help local police and prosecutors protect and assist victims of domestic violence.

The federal grant, which was written by Glasgow and applied for through County Executive Walsh’s office, was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.

The two-year grant will fund the Victim Independence Program (VIP)/Coordinated Community Response Team. The grant will enable Glasgow to hire an investigator, prosecutor and victim’s advocate, all of whom will focus exclusively on encouraging arrest policies and enforcing orders of protection through this program. 

The grant also will provide funding for the Will County Circuit Court to hire another professional to draft emergency orders of protection on behalf of the victims of domestic abuse.

In addition, the funding will enable Lamb’s Fold, a long-term shelter for women, and Groundwork, an emergency shelter for women, to hire on-site victim advocates who will serve the needs of their abused clients.

The county executive also will use grant funding to hire a coordinator to supervise the implementation of the program, the filing of all financial reports and the compilation of statistical data for the Office on Violence Against Women.

“I created the Victim Independence Program in 1999 to empower the victims of domestic violence to have the confidence to cooperate with law enforcement throughout the prosecution of their cases. This grant is an affirmation by the federal government of the innovative potential of the Victim Independence Program,” Glasgow said. “Domestic violence charges are the most difficult to prosecute because the victims live under the specter of emotional, financial and physical intimidation while their cases are pending. Through this grant, we will create a comprehensive support network that will empower victims to follow through with prosecution.”

Walsh immediately recognized the importance of this funding and agreed early this year to coordinate the grant-writing application process through the county executive’s office.

“I am going to recruit a grant coordinator who has the knowledge, experience and sensitivity to shepherd this grant over the next two years. We will work closely with State’s Attorney Glasgow, local law enforcement and social service agencies to coordinate the necessary services to the women of Will County who fall victim to domestic abuse,” Walsh said. “This grant provides the money necessary to achieve that level of cooperation.”

“My hat goes off to County Executive Walsh for his vision in recognizing the critical need for this grant and immediately authorizing me to submit this grant application under his signature,” Glasgow said.  “It is this spirit of cooperation that will guarantee the success of this most vital project.”           

Domestic violence affects more than 32 million Americans. The federal government reports that approximately 1,300 people are killed by their abusers each year. Nationally, an estimated 70 percent of domestic violence victims do not show up to court when their abusers go to trial, forcing prosecutors to drop the charges.

Sadly, on the same day the grant was awarded (Tuesday, Aug. 29), local newspapers reported the tragic death of a Joliet woman who allegedly was shot by her estranged husband the previous day. The man reportedly then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide.

The victim did not appear in court on June 20 when her husband was to be tried on domestic battery charges. Prosecutors made a motion to continue based upon the absence of their key witness. The motion, however, was denied by the court and the case was dismissed. 

Earlier this month, the woman filed for an emergency order of protection against the man. However, she left key sections of the order blank, including information that would have enabled police to locate her estranged husband and serve the order.

“This tragedy illustrates the complications police, prosecutors, victim advocates and judges face while handling these extremely difficult and emotional cases,” the state’s attorney said. “The traditional methods of law enforcement do not work with domestic violence prosecutions, and we must strive to implement new initiatives like VIP in order to empower victims and successfully break the cycle of violence.”

Grant funding will help to break that cycle. The federal grant also will provide money for:

  • On-site training and education at local police departments for officers who handle domestic violence calls. 
  • Overtime for targeted police departments to more aggressively pursue abusers who violate orders of protection. 
  • Digital cameras for 35 police departments to document injuries caused by domestic abusers for use in securing orders of protection and for evidence at trials.