Nine arrested in raid on Montana Charlie’s Flea Market; investigators seize thousands of illegally recorded CD’s, DVD’s

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August 28

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced the arrest of nine people Sunday on charges of selling illegal CDs and DVDs from booths at the Montana Charlie’s flea market on Illinois 53 in Bolingbrook.

The state’s attorney’s office headed up the one-month investigation in cooperation with Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas as well as investigators from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Pirated DVDs included hit movies such as “Snakes on a Plane,” “World Trade Center” and “Miami Vice,” all of which are currently in their initial release in theaters. The illegal music CDs featured many Latino stars including popular singer Olga Tanon.

In addition to the arrests, police seized nearly 25,000 compact discs, 1,500 DVDs and four vehicles at the Bolingbrook flea market. The illegal CDs and DVDs are valued at an estimated $405,000 in legal product.

“These arrests cripple local profiteers who push illegally recorded movies and videos,” Glasgow said. “We will continue to work vigorously with the movie and recording industries to take down scam artists who steal and sell illegally reproduced and second-rate recordings. Will County consumers are ripped off in the form of higher prices for legitimately purchased entertainment as a result of industry losses suffered at the hands of these pernicious pirates.”

Undercover investigators with the state’s attorney’s office purchased the illegal CDs and DVDs on several occasions in the month leading up to Sunday’s raid. They also purchased illegal CDs and DVDs on several occasions Sunday before arresting the merchants.

“The worldwide motion picture industry lost $18.2 billion in 2005 as a result of piracy – more than $11 billion of which is attributed to bootlegged and counterfeit DVDs like the ones recovered at Montana Charlie’s Flea Market,” said Mike Robinson, Vice President and Director of U.S. Anti-Piracy Operations for the MPAA. “The replication and distribution of illegal DVDs is highly lucrative, and in many cases criminal networks use counterfeit DVD sales to support other criminal activity. Consumers should be aware that when they purchase pirated products they may be supporting a host of other illegal activities such as narcotics or illegal gun sales, gang activity and more. I applaud the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Will County Sheriff’s Department for their diligence in putting nine movie thieves out of business.”

MPAA and RIAA officials approached investigators from both Glasgow’s and Kaupas’ offices. The investigation was headed by Detectives Pete Piazza, Daniel Procarione and Michael Kelley. The three detectives work for the state’s attorney under a cooperative agreement with Kaupas.

“We’ve had a long-standing and productive working relationship with Sheriff Kaupas that has enabled us to conduct specialized investigations of illegal activities that damage our economy and defraud consumers,” Glasgow said.

The CDs typically are reproduced in illegal “burn labs” or pressed at illegal plants. Many of the CDs are produced in Mexico or Southern California. The Chicago area is a major distribution point for pirated Latino music.

The DVDs are illegally recorded by handheld video recording devices smuggled into theaters. They also are downloaded unlawfully from illegal Web sites.

The investigation is continuing and other arrests are possible. Those who were arrested Sunday were booked into the Will County Jail.

Arrested and charged with unlawful use of unidentified audio or visual recordings were: Maria Tapia, 29, of 944 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago; Christina Bolonos, 30, address unknown; Daniel Guzman, 18, 4835 S. Wood, Chicago; Guillermo Alvarez, 24, of 5646 S. Fairfield, Chicago; John E. Santiago, 62, of 5901 N. Ruby St., Rosemont; Guillermo Ramos, 40, of 2204 Smith Road, Aurora; Francisco Castaneda, 41, of 5106 Sophia, East Chicago, Ind.; and Martin Castaneda, 39, of 5106 Sophia, East Chicago, Ind.

Unlawful use of unidentified audio or visual recordings is a Class 4 felony that carries a possible prison sentence of 1-3 years and a $25,000 fine upon conviction.

Samuel Rojas-Paramo, 19, of 1229 S. 50th Ave., Cicero, was arrested and charged with attempted unlawful use of unidentified audio or visual recordings. This is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and $2,500 in fines upon conviction.

Additional charges against Christina Bolonos, Daniel Guzman and Guillermo Ramos include unauthorized use of a trademark, which is a Class A misdemeanor.

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.

Joliet man found guilty in fatal firebombing; mother, 4-year-old daughter perished

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August 24

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Thursday that a jury found a Joliet man guilty on murder and arson charges in connection with a firebombing that killed a mother and her 4-year-old daughter in their home in the early morning hours of April 9, 2005.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before handing down guilty verdicts on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated arson against Juan Santana, 28, of the 200 block of Illinois Street, Joliet.

Santana is scheduled to be sentenced before Circuit Judge Richard Schoenstedt on Oct. 26 for the killing of Maria DeLourdes Nunez, 35, and her young daughter, Merary Nunez. Santana faces a mandatory life sentence.

Firefighters found Nunez lying on top of her daughter in what they believe was a desperate attempt to protect her little girl from the smoke and fire that quickly engulfed the house after Santana and another man threw a firebomb through a first-floor window. Both Nunez and her daughter were dead by the time rescuers reached the second-floor bedroom of their house at 419 Madeline St. in Joliet’s St. Patrick’s Neighborhood.

Testimony during the six-day trial revealed that Santana firebombed the house because he believed one of Merary’s older brothers belonged to a rival gang. The brother, who was 14 at the time of the firebombing, testified he was a “pretend” gang member.

“Out of all of murders I’ve prosecuted over the years, this one ranks among the most cowardly and callous,” Glasgow said. “In his malevolent pursuit of retribution for perceived insults from a pretend gang banger, Juan Santana firebombed a house andsnuffed out the lives of a young mother and her innocent child.”

Nunez’s two sons were sleeping in the house when Santana and an accomplice threw the firebomb through the window. One of the brothers tried to put out what started as a small fire, but he abandoned his efforts as the flames and smoke spread, according to testimony.

Both brothers fled the burning building after their mother came downstairs to see what was happening. Nunez went back upstairs to the bedroom in an attempt to save Merary.

Witnesses for the state put Santana and another man, Ignacio Jacobo, 20, of Joliet, at the scene of the firebombing. Jacobo is awaiting trial on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated arson in connection with the firebombing.

One woman testified she saw two men running toward a white Jeep Cherokee with a red interior shortly after the house was firebombed. She memorized the license plate number and reported it to police, who traced the vehicle to its owner.

The owner of the Jeep testified he had lent his vehicle to Santana, Jacobo and another man, Sergio Anguiano, 23, of Joliet, on the night of the firebombing.

Anguiano, who testified for the prosecution, said he drove Santana and Jacobo to the scene. He testified he parked about a block away from the Nunez house but did not see the firebombing. Anguiano testified he did not know Santana and Jacobo intended to firebomb the house.

In exchange for Anguiano’s truthful testimony against both Santana and Jacobo, he will be allowed to enter a blind plead of guilty to charges of aggravated arson. He faces up to 20 years in prison upon conviction.

Two of Glasgow’s top prosecutors, First Assistant State’s Attorney Greg DeBord and Criminal Division Chief Lea Norbut-Sicinski, presented the state’s evidence in the case against Santana.

“They are two highly skilled trial lawyers whose presentation of testimony and evidence left the jury with absolutely no doubt who committed this cold-blooded murder,” Glasgow said. “The conviction removes this vicious killer from society.”

The murder case struck a personal chord for the state’s attorney, who grew up in the neighborhood where the firebombing occurred.

“When I visited the crime scene and looked at the charred remains of the Nunez home, I was standing where I had stood countless times as a child,” Glasgow said. “Two of my good friends from St. Pat’s Grade School had lived in the house right next door. It was one of our gathering places, and it was always a safe place for children to play.”

Glasgow continued: “Gang violence has tragically altered this once safe haven. However, we as a community have fought back hard with this critical jury verdict, which drives a stake clean through the heart of this beast that threatens the very security of us all.”

Jacobo’s case is pending in front of Judge Schoenstedt. Regarding Jacobo’s case, 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.

Bolingbrook man gets 18 years for sexually assaulting a child

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August 23

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Wednesday that a 25-year-old Bolingbrook man was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl.

Edward Brown, who had been living with the victim, pleaded guilty to two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony. Each count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of six years in prison upon conviction. On each count he received a 9-year sentence that will be served consecutively. 

Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak accepted a plea agreement recommended by prosecutors for the 18-year sentence. Brown must serve 85% of that sentence under the state’s truth-in-sentencing provisions.

The victim’s parents were present in court when he received the sentence. Prosecutors worked out the plea agreement only after consulting with the parents, who approved the disposition.

Brown was 23 at the time and living with the victim’s family in Will County when he molested the girl twice in 2003. He continued to molest her after he moved along with the victim’s family to Cook County.

He was sentenced to 28 years on three similar counts from Cook County. He received sentences of 9 years, 9 years and 10 years respectively on each of those three counts to be served consecutively.

Brown will not begin serving his 18-year sentence from Will County until he completes the 28-year prison term from Cook County. These consecutive sentences totaling 46 years will ensure that the earliest the defendant will be eligible for parole is after his 62nd birthday.

“The children of Will County are safe from Edward Brown for the next four decades thanks to the dedication of my prosecutors and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office,” Glasgow said. “These combined sentences amount to nearly a lifetime, which is an appropriate punishment for robbing a child of her innocence. It will serve as an unwavering warning to any diabolical monster who even thinks about molesting a child.”

Building Trades Council makes $1,000 donation to Will County Children’s Advocacy Center

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August 18

JOLIET – The Will-Grundy Counties Building Trades Council will present Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow with a $1,000 check to benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center before Saturday night’s Joliet Jackhammers home game.

Tom White, president of the council, will make the presentation to the state’s attorney during Union Night at Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet. The game starts at 7:05 p.m.

Glasgow established the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to protect children from the ravages of sexual assault and physical abuse.

The center’s goal is to assist law enforcement in obtaining statements from sexually abused children that will hold up in court, helping prosecutors obtain convictions against sexual predators. Victim-sensitive interviews with children are conducted in a non-threatening environment and videotaped for use at criminal trials.

“I want to thank the Will-Grundy Counties Building Trades Council for supporting the important work conducted by the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center,” Glasgow said. “Since the center’s formation 11 years ago, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of convictions against dangerous sexual predators.”

During 2005 alone, the center’s staff conducted 460 child-sensitive interviews, many of which were used by Glasgow’s prosecutors to convict pedophiles during trials or to secure guilty pleas from child sex offenders.

The Building Trades Council’s membership consists of roughly 30 local unions, many of which have generously provided individual financial support to the Children’s Advocacy Center.

The center is a not-for-profit agency that relies on grants and donations from local businesses, organizations and units of government to operate.

“Our local labor unions have always stepped up to the plate to support agencies that do important work in the community,” Glasgow said. “I’m extremely gratified and proud that the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center also is a beneficiary of that support.”

For more information on the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center or to make a donation that will help protect our children, call (815) 727-0710 or visit on the Web at http://www.willcountychildadvocacy.com and click on donations.

Man gets 18 years for sexual assault near downtown Lockport

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August 18

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Friday that a Lockport man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman who was walking to work near downtown Lockport last year.

Leo James Lacey, 29, of the 2700 block of Lawrence Avenue, Lockport, attacked the 19-year-old woman in the early-morning hours of Aug. 18, 2005 on State Street between 17th and Division streets.  Lacey was sentenced one year to the day after the attack.

Lacey pleaded guilty before Associate Judge Robert Livas in June to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which is a Class X felony.

The woman was walking at about 4:30 a.m. to a downtown convenience store where she had been working for about a week when Lacey came from behind and told her he was holding a knife to her back. Lacey viciously forced her to a grassy area with a choke hold where he sexually assaulted her.

Lacey fled on foot after the attack, leaving the young woman lying in the grass. The victim rushed to work and called police to report the sexual assault.

Lockport Detective William Sheehan worked the case for three months and identified Lacey as a suspect. In November 2005, Sheehan interviewed Lacey, who agreed to give a sample of his saliva for testing. The DNA in Lacey’s saliva matched DNA from semen collected at the crime scene and from the victim.

In December, the woman identified Lacey in a photo lineup of suspects.

“Detective Sheehan aggressively worked this case and gave us the evidence we needed to take an insidiously opportunistic sexual predator off Lockport’s streets for the next 18 years,” Glasgow said. “His rock-solid detective work left no doubt who committed this vicious attack.”

The state’s attorney also praised the young woman for having the courage and presence of mind to contact police immediately and give them an accurate and detailed account of her sexual assault. Shortly after giving her statement to police, she went to the hospital where she was examined by physicians for signs of sexual assault and where additional physical evidence was collected.

“Leo James Lacey is a wretched coward who physically overpowered his victim to satisfy his deviant sexual cravings,” Glasgow said. “But this woman stopped being a victim the minute she contacted police and began working with them to identify her attacker. She fought back with grit and determination not only for herself, but to help ensure the safety of every woman in the county.”

Glasgow also credited Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Platek for securing the guilty plea that led to Friday’s sentence. Platek presented the factual basis for the plea and the factors in aggravation to Judge Livas.

Joliet woman convicted of threatening a witness

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August 16

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that jury on Wednesday found a Joliet woman guilty of threatening to kill a witness who had testified against her during an eviction hearing.

Addie Holmes, 39, was convicted on one count of harassment of a witness, a Class 2 Felony that carries a possible prison sentence of up to seven years.

Holmes threatened the victim twice following an eviction hearing on April 17 at the Will County Courthouse.

Holmes first threatened the victim in a courthouse hallway 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. About 30 minutes later, Holmes again threatened the victim in a hallway at the Joliet apartment complex.

On both occasions, Holmes threatened to kill the victim for testifying against her during the eviction proceedings. The victim is a woman who is also a tenant at Evergreen Terrace.

“Witnesses are the very bedrock foundation of our system of justice” Glasgow said. “Intimidation and threatening of witnesses can never be tolerated, especially when leveled within the sanctity of the courthouse.  It’s hard to imagine a greater affront to the dignity of the halls of justice than a threat to kill a witness. This office will always come down hard when someone tries to bully or terrorize a witness who has stepped up to the right thing under the law.”

Glasgow credited Assistant State’s Attorneys Dant Foulk and Mark Fleszewski for securing a conviction that should stand as a warning to any defendant who threatens a witness.

“We’re going to take every step necessary to protect all witnesses in order to safeguard the integrity our criminal justice system,” the state’s attorney said.

The victim also testified against Holmes during her criminal trial. She told jurors she feared for her life after Holmes threatened her the second time. She filed a report regarding the threats with the Joliet Police Department.

Holmes is scheduled to be sentenced before Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak on Sept. 25.

Downers Grove man convicted of soliciting Naperville teen for sex

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August 14

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a jury Monday afternoon found a Downers Grove man guilty of soliciting a 14-year-old Naperville girl he met in an Internet chat room for sex.

Juan Martinez Jr., 25, of the 1100 block of Candlewood Drive, Downers Grove, was convicted on one count of indecent solicitation of a child, a Class 3 felony that carries a possible prison sentence of 2-5 years and requires him to register as a sex offender.

The two began trading text messages over their cellular telephones in early May.

On the night of May 9, 2004, one week after they began communicating via text messages, Martinez arranged to meet the girl in front of her Naperville house, according to trial testimony. While her mother was sleeping, the girl slipped out of the house and met Martinez at his car.

Martinez testified that he drove the victim to an industrial park where they had sex in the back seat of his car.

The girl’s mother learned that Martinez, who was 23 at the time, had had sex with her teen-age daughter when she discovered their text messages. Naperville Detective Richard Wistocki investigated the allegations after the victim’s mother contacted police.

Defense attorneys conceded Martinez had sex with the victim. However, they alleged during the trial that the victim had lied about her age and told their client she was 17.

However, the girl testified she never told Martinez she was 17. She testified that she at first told Martinez she was 15, which still is under the age of consent, although there are no text messages to document her testimony. The girl testified that she finally told Martinez she was 14 after their sexual encounter.

The jury acquitted Martinez on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Those two charges contained allegations that Martinez knowingly had sex with a minor under the age of 17.

Assistant State’s Attorneys John Connor and Alyson DeBell entered into evidence a taped conversation between Martinez and the victim in which they discussed her age after the sexual encounter. In that conversation, which police recorded as part of their investigation, Martinez urged the girl to lie to detectives about their rendezvous.

The prosecutors also entered into evidence a text message Martinez sent to the girl after their sexual encounter and after other text messages had documented the victim telling him she was only 14. Martinez suggested graphically in the latter text message that they could continue having sex in the future. It was this text message that secured a conviction on the solicitation count.

“Juan Martinez Jr. met a vulnerable, adolescent girl on the Internet and then had sex with her in a dark and desolate industrial park,” Glasgow said. “After this encounter, he suggested to the girl in a text message that they continue this sexual relationship even after it was clear to him that she was only 14. But the intervention of the girl’s mother and Naperville police prevented another meeting from occurring.”

Glasgow praised Connor and DeBell for presenting evidence clearly and securing a conviction. Connor is an Internet crimes expert who helped establish the state’s attorney’s Computer Crimes Unit.

“These two prosecutors did an excellent job of piecing together testimony, taped conversations and reams of text messages to convince jurors of the defendant’s guilt on the solicitation charge,” the state’s attorney said.

Glasgow also credited Detective Wistocki for conducting an aggressive investigation that brought Martinez to justice.

“Naperville Police Chief David Dial has given investigators like Detective Wistocki the support and tools they need to track down Internet predators,” Glasgow said. “As a result, Wistocki has become recognized nationally as a top computer crimes investigator whose recommendations for making the Internet safer for children are sought after by companies that include MySpace.com.”

Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced by Associate Judge Robert Livas on Oct. 20

Glasgow wins restitution for home repair fraud victims

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August 8

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a contractor charged with home repair fraud and theft pleaded guilty and will be forced to pay restitution to roughly 100 local homeowners who gave him money for work he never performed.

Glasgow last year launched a criminal investigation into contractor Keith Gunter, 43, of Bourbonnais. A prior state’s attorney’s administration initiated only a civil action against Gunter’s insolvent corporation. The civil action failed to yield any restitution for defrauded homeowners.

Gunter, who had been doing business in the Joliet-Plainfield area as Leading Restoration Services Inc., took thousands of dollars in down payments from individual homeowners without performing any work.

In April, Glasgow filed a multi-count criminal complaint against Gunter that included theft by deception, home repair fraud and aggravated home repair fraud. The aggravated home repair fraud charges allege Gunter defrauded three senior citizens. A grand jury handed down indictments in May.

The criminal indictments identified a total of 23 of the 100 homeowners as clear victims of criminal fraud.  Their individual losses ranged from $2,000 to $6,972.33. The criminal indictments alleged Gunter took a total of $83,000 from these homeowners. 

The civil complaint against the corporation, which was filed by the prior state’s attorney in 2004, identified roughly 100 homeowners who were victims of civil fraud.

“The tragedy of the civil judgment was that it was obtained only against the corporation, which is without assets, and not against Gunter personally,” Glasgow said.  “It was meaningless and yielded not a penny of restitution.”

Since his April 28 arrest, Gunter has remained in custody at the Will County Jail on a $1.72 million bond that would have required him to post 10 percent, or $172,000, to secure his release while awaiting trial.

“Our criminal investigation has taken this dodgy contractor off the streets and prevented him from skipping off with more hard-earned cash from other unsuspecting homeowners,” Glasgow said. “The high bail underscored the seriousness of the criminal charges and brought the defendant to the table to talk earnestly about paying back all of his victims.”

Under the agreement hammered out by prosecutors:

  • Gunter will plead guilty to three counts of aggravated home repair fraud, two counts of home repair fraud and five counts of theft by deception.
  • All 23 of the victims identified in the criminal complaints will receive full restitution amounting to $83,000 from Gunter personally. Gunter will give the state title to property he owns in Alabama to cover the restitution.
  • Homeowners named in the civil complaint will now receive some restitution from Gunter personally even though he is not legally obligated to do so under the civil judgment obtained against his insolvent corporation. A portion of this restitution will also be funded through the sale of Gunter’s Alabama property. The level of that compensation is still being calculated.
  • The total amount of restitution Gunter will pay could reach $275,000.
  • Gunter will be released on a personal recognizance bond and placed on probation for three years. He faces the revocation of his bond, probation and a resulting prison sentence of up to seven years if he fails to pay in full and obey all court orders.

“We’re going to keep him on a very short leash during his probation,” Glasgow said. “I will move immediately to revoke his probation and haul him in for sentencing if he fails to meet any of his court-ordered obligations to pay back the homeowners he ripped off.”

The state’s attorney said he sympathized with frustrated homeowners who tried in vain over the years to get their money back from a crooked contractor. Gunter never returned any deposits even though many of his victims repeatedly contacted him through letters, by telephone or visits to his former place of business on Essington Road in Joliet.

“The plea agreement hammered out by my office will put a significant amount of money back into the pockets of everyone who was defrauded,” Glasgow said. “Many of these homeowners already had written off their losses.”

Glasgow credited Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Koch with working out a plea agreement that will return money to every homeowner named in either the criminal or civil cases.

He also praised Detectives Pete Piazza, Dan Procarione and Michael Kelley for conducting an intensive and thorough investigation that led to the criminal charges against Gunter. The detectives are assigned to the state’s attorney’s office through a cooperative agreement with Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas.

“Sheriff Kaupas exemplifies the true spirit of cooperation in law enforcement by assigning these three detectives to my office. We’ve had an excellent working relationship going back over 25 years that has always made us both more effective in protecting the public,” Glasgow said.

Will County Drug Court to mark milestone; program to graduate 150th participant this week

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August 1

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that 21 people who originally faced criminal charges stemming from drug abuse have kicked their addictions and will graduate from the Will County Drug Court Program this week.

A graduation ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3 in the Board Room at the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet.

This ceremony will mark the 150th person to graduate from Will County Drug Court since its inception in 2000. Of those who have entered the intensive program over the past six years, 71 percent have graduated. The retention rate is on the high end of national averages, which range from 67 to 71 percent.

Ninety-two percent of those who have graduated 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.

“We’re proud this program has taken 150 non-violent offenders off Will County’s streets, given them a new lease on life and helped them to become productive citizens,” Glasgow said.

The program’s goal is to help drug abusers who have committed non-violent offenses break their addictions and integrate them back into society as productive, tax-paying community members.

“The old adage, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ has never rung more true,” Glasgow said “Every dollar we spend on crime prevention saves us $10-$20 in remedial costs. By breaking the addictions that drive their criminal behavior, we create individuals who can become real assets to society by holding jobs, furthering their educations, owning homes, raising families and paying taxes.”

This week’s ceremony marks the first graduation for Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Goode, who took over as the presiding judge in Drug Court earlier this year from Chief Judge Stephen White. White had presided over Drug Court since its formation in 2000. The state’s attorney praised the work of both judges.

“Judge White took a tough, no-nonsense approach that enabled us to build a successful program that offenders have taken seriously,” Glasgow said. “They knew if they used drugs or engaged in other criminal activity, the judge would send them to prison. And Judge Goode already has proven willing to use the hammer to keep drug court defendants on the straight-and-narrow.”

Glasgow spearheaded the development of the Will County Drug Court Program in 1997 by writing a successful $30,000 planning grant application that was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice. For two years, the state’s attorney, the chief judge and other court and law enforcement officials researched criminal behavior related to drug abuse and studied existing programs.

Their planning efforts culminated with Glasgow submitting a $500,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant application that was fully funded. An additional $50,000 was obtained from the State of Illinois. The Drug Court continues to flourish with some funding provided by the County of Will.

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 cycle in and out of the system at recidivism rates as high as 70 percent.

Glasgow stressed that participation in Drug Court is a tough and 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,” Glasgow said. “They take a tremendous risk when they opt for Drug Court because failure means prison. This speaks volumes about their commitment to banishing the demons of drug addiction that have derailed their lives. In some cases, graduation can result in a dismissal of the criminal charge, enabling them to avoid the debilitating lifetime stigma of being a convicted felon.”

The amount it costs to operate the Will County Drug Court Program is a fraction of what it would cost taxpayers to arrest, prosecute and house these non-violent offenders in state prisons plus deal with the social costs stemming from their inability to find employment and the documented risk of recidivism.

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

“The real value of this program should be viewed in light of the $60 million dollar burden on local taxpayers brought about by the need to expand the Will County Jail,” Glasgow said.

For more information on Drug Court, go to https://willcountysao.com and click on Crime Prevention.

Glasgow secures indictment for 2001 slaying; state’s attorney will determine whether to pursue death penalty in murder case

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July 27

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that a grand jury has indicted a former Joliet man on murder charges for the 2001 slaying of 24-year-old Darnell Washington.

Paul Quintero, 29, was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder this week. He is alleged to have shot Washington multiple times on Nov. 2, 2001.

The victim’s body was discovered on the side of Farrell Road near U.S. 6. A sport utility vehicle Washington had been driving that evening had been torched and was found at another location.

The 2001 murder could qualify the defendant for the death penalty if he is convicted. Glasgow said he will scrutinize the case before determining whether to pursue the death penalty.

“I will thoroughly review the facts of this case and the defendant’s history before I make the decision in consultation with my senior prosecutors,” Glasgow said. “By law, we have 120 days to thoroughly review all of the factors in aggravation and mitigation.”

Quintero currently is serving a 38-year prison sentence at Pontiac Correctional Center for the 2000 shooting death of Michael Ceja in Joliet. The Ceja murder was still under investigation and Quintero had yet to be arrested when Washington was killed in November 2001.

Glasgow credited Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas and his detectives for diligently pursuing the Washington case over the years. Their work led to the arrest of another man, Joseph Gonzalez, 26, of Joliet, in July 2005 for his role in Washington’s murder.

Gonzalez, who was with the victim on the night he was killed, pleaded guilty in April of this year to aggravated discharge of a firearm. He is serving a 15-year sentence in the Shawnee Correctional Center.

The state’s attorney also thanked the victim’s family members for their patience during the protracted investigation.

“Darnell Washington was brutally murdered and his body was callously dumped in the road,” Glasgow said. “His grieving family contacted me shortly after I took office in late 2004 and asked me to review the case. I want to thank them for their persistence and their patience. They have waited a long time to see justice served, and they deserve to have their day in court.”

Quintero is scheduled to appear for arraignment at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 8 in courtroom 405 at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet.

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office reminds the public that an indictment 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.