February 27

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that a Joliet man who was found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a Channahon man has been sentenced to 90 years in prison.

Matthew Edwards, 21, also was found guilty of attempted first-degree murder in December at the conclusion of a bench trial.  Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak’s sentence on Wednesday included 50 years for the murder count plus a consecutive 40 years for the attempted murder count.

Edwards shot Joshua Terdic in the head during a home invasion at Terdic’s Channahon apartment on July 7, 2009. Terdic died 10 days later.  A female victim, Lauren Vasilakis, also was shot but survived.

Three other defendants also were convicted and sentenced in connection with the murder and home invasion. Jason Orasco, 29, of Channahon, was sentenced to 75 years in prison, and Ashley Hill, 21, of Joliet, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Hill pleaded guilty to home invasion and testified against a fourth defendant, Mary Vetor, 27, of Joliet, who hatched the plan to steal money and drugs from Terdic. Vetor drove Edwards and Orasco to Terdic’s apartment and supplied the weapons — a gun and a baseball bat. Vetor was sentenced to 61 years in prison. Edwards is the final defendant to be convicted and sentenced.

Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Fitzgerald, who heads the office’s Felony Division, Christine Vukmir and Daniel Walsh prosecuted the cases and secured the sentences. The murder was investigated by the Will County Major Crimes Task Force.

February 20

The hearing on post-trial motions in People V. Peterson is expected to conclude Wednesday, February 20. The case could proceed to sentencing later today. If that is the case:

• After Judge Burmila announces a sentence, the press is asked to go to Joliet City Hall for a post-sentencing news conference. We will begin the conference roughly 30-45 minutes after a sentence is announced.
• State’s Attorney Glasgow and his trial team will be available to make a statement, discuss the case and answer media questions.
• Kathleen Savio’s and Stacy Peterson’s family members will be available for comments as well as possibly other witnesses from the trial.

   
Joliet City Hall is located at 150 W. Jefferson Street
One block west of the Will County Courthouse

City Hall can be accessed from Washington Street, Jefferson Street or Joliet Street. Please proceed to the second floor Council Chambers. We are prepared to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the move for camera crews. 
      
State’s Attorney Glasgow would like to thank Mayor Tom Giarrante and City Manager Tom Thanas for allowing us to bring this news conference indoors on a bitterly cold day.

February 7

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that a Bolingbrook man has been indicted on five counts of possession of child pornography.

Officers from State’s Attorney Glasgow’s High Technology Computer Crimes Unit as well as the Bolingbrook Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service Computer Forensic Unit arrested James Vollmar, 31, of 117 Balmoral Drive on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. Grand Jury indictments were handed up to Judge Gerald Kinney on Thursday.

Vollmar was arrested at his residence after detectives executed a search warrant on his apartment. The arrest was the result of a three-month investigation launched by the High Technology Crimes Unit into the distribution of child pornography over the Internet. Detectives took possession of Vollmar’s computer pursuant to the search warrant.

Vollmar’s bond was set at $50,000. He is scheduled to appear in court next on February 15 at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 405. The indictments are Class 2 felonies that carry a penalty of three to seven years in prison upon conviction.

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

January 7

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow is pleased to announce that his office once again is partnering with Heartland Blood Centers and Joliet mom Jennifer Babec to host a blood drive in downtown Joliet.

SAVE THE DATE:  The next Taylor Babec Community Blood Drive will be from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, 121 N. Chicago Street, across the street from the historic Rialto Square Theatre.

Taylor Babec (center) and her mother, Jennifer Babec (left), talk with WCCQ’s Carol McGowan during a live broadcast at a 2012 blood drive at the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office in downtown Joliet.

Anyone who works in or visits downtown Joliet is encouraged to take 30 minutes to donate blood on Jan. 30. Appointments can be made by calling Jennifer Babec at (815) 325-4282 or by visiting Heartland Blood Centers at www.heartlandbc.org. Walk-in donors also are welcome.

Everyone who signs up to donate blood will receive a coupon for a free cup of soup or white bean turkey chili at The Department Restaurant, 205 N. Chicago St.  Donuts and coffee will be available throughout the day.

Jennifer Babec’s young daughter, Taylor, required 22 blood transfusions that restored her health and her spirits during her successful battle against lymphoma several years ago. Taylor’s cancer is in remission, but Jennifer continues to coordinate drives so there is an ample supply for others who need transfusions. She currently is Heartland’s top volunteer coordinator.

“We are pleased to work with such great partners to provide blood for those in their time of need,” Glasgow said. “It’s gratifying that so many people who visit or work in downtown Joliet are willing to take a little time out of their busy day to help others right here in our community.”Heartland Blood Centers supplies blood to nearly 170,000 patients each year – people who lost blood during surgery or because of an accident, people who have cancer or severe anemia.  Without our help, Heartland Blood Centers cannot meet the needs of these patients with the 600 pints that are required daily. Heartland is the sole provider of blood and blood products for Silver Cross Hospital and Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

January 4

JOLIET – National Consolidation Services, LLC, located in Bolingbrook, recently presented Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow with a $2,000 donation to benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

State’s Attorney Glasgow, who founded the Children’s Advocacy Center and chairs its board of directors, accepted the donation from Amy Gross, human resources manager for the company.

The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center is a 501-c-3 nonprofit organization.  Founded by Glasgow in 1995, its professionally trained staff interviews children who are the victims of sexual or severe physical abuse in a non-threatening, non-suggestive setting.

The children’s recorded statements have been used to successfully prosecute literally hundreds of predators over the past 17 years.  For more information about the center, call (815) 774-4565.

National Consolidation Services provides freight consolidation and distributions services for Walgreens stores.

“I would like to personally thank National Consolidation Services for a generous contribution that will enable the dedicated staff at the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center to fulfill our mission to protect children in our community,” Glasgow said.