State’s Attorney to host blood drive on January 9

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December 9

JOLIET – The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office is partnering with Heartland Blood Centers and local mom Jennifer Babec during National Blood Donor Month to host a community blood drive from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Friday, January 9.

The blood drive will be held at the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, 121 N. Chicago St., in downtown Joliet, just across from the Rialto Square Theatre.  Heartland’s mobile coaches will be parked in the State’s Attorney’s Office during the drive.

Appointments can be made by calling Jennifer Babec at (815) 325-4282 or by visiting Heartland Blood Centers online at www.heartlandbc.org. Walk-in donors also are welcome on the day of the blood drive. Donations take roughly 30 minutes.

All donors will receive a free Charlie Corpuscle T-shirt that says, “Be Nice to Me. I Gave.” 

January is National Blood Donor Month because it is when donations are needed most. Many people schedule elective surgeries after the first of the year. And blood is needed to help people injured in winter auto accidents. The Jan. 9 drive is a chance to boost the local blood supply.

Heartland is the sole provider of blood products for Silver Cross Hospital and Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

The State’s Attorney’s Office has been hosting blood drives with Heartland since 2012. The centralized Chicago Street location has proven to be convenient for the thousands of government and office employees who work in downtown Joliet.  

“Over the years so many people have taken time out of their busy schedules to donate blood during our office drives,” said State’s Attorney James Glasgow. “These donations are critical because donations can save lives right here in our community. We are glad to work with great partners to help our neighbors in their time of need.”

Jennifer Babec knows first-hand the importance of blood drives. Her 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.


Men Who Cook calendars available for 2015; proceeds benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center

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November 18

JOLIET – As the year comes to a close, what better way to plan for 2015 than with the brand new “Men Who Cook” calendar?

These 13-month calendars are loaded with colorful photographs of the nearly 50 amateur chefs and their helpers who entered dishes in last year’s annual “Men Who Cook” competition to benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center. The calendar also features photos of Jackson, the Child Advocacy Center’s therapy dog, as well as candid photos of our volunteers and special guests.

And for new additions, this year’s calendar will feature the winning recipes from the 2014 “Men Who Cook” competition.

Calendars are available now through the Seventh Annual Men Who Cook, which is scheduled from 6-9p.m. on March 21 at Pipefitters Local #597 Training Center, 10850 187th St. in Mokena. The calendars cost $10. All proceeds benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center. 

“This calendar is a fun way to recognize the local chefs who supported a great cause and fired up the crowd with their culinary talents,” said State’s Attorney James Glasgow, who founded the Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995. “They all gave generously of their time and talents to make last year’s Men Who Cook the most successful to date.”

To purchase your cook calendar, contact the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center at (815) 774-4565 or visit www.menwhocook.info. You can also purchase calendars at any of the following places: 

  • The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, 57 N. Ottawa St., Suite 506, in downtown Joliet.
  • The Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St., in downtown Joliet.
  • Great American Bagel, owned by Men Who Cook volunteer and chef Tom Grotovsky, at 1101 Essington Road in Joliet.
  • Babe’s Hot Dogs, 2600 W. Jefferson Street in Joliet. 
  • The Will County Circuit Clerk’s Office, 14 W. Jefferson Street on the Second Floor. 
  • Carpenter’s Local 174 Union Hall at 1407 Essington Road in Joliet.
  • And the Will County Sheriff’s Public Information Office, 57 N. Ottawa St., Suite 500, in downtown Joliet. 

The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center was established by State’s Attorney Glasgow in 1995 to improve the way child abuse cases are investigated. The center’s trained staff performs child-sensitive interviews when there are allegations of sexual or severe physical abuse. Children’s recorded statements have been used in the successful prosecution of hundreds of sexual predators.

The center is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization so there is no cost to Will County taxpayers. The center relies on grants, foundations and fundraisers like “Men Who Cook” to operate. 

At “Men Who Cook,” local guys don a chef’s hat and serve up their favorite home recipes for public tasting. It is an affordable, fun and casual competition that draws hundreds of guests each year.

Tickets for this year’s “Men Who Cook” will be available online in January. The cost to sample the fine cuisine from our local chefs is $40 per person; $75 per couple.


Chicago Crime Commission to honor Jim Stewart, chief investigator for Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, retired Joliet Police captain

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November

CHICAGO – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow is pleased to announce that the Chicago Crime Commission will honor his chief investigator, James Stewart of Joliet, during its annual Stars of Distinction Awards Dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Investigator Stewart will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding career in law enforcement and his role in the investigation and resolution of thousands of criminal cases, both as a Joliet Police officer and as the Will County State’s Attorney’s chief investigator.

State’s Attorney Glasgow has known Stewart for more than three decades and nominated him for the Chicago Crime Commission honor earlier this year.

“Jim Stewart truly set the gold standard in law enforcement over the course of his career,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “He possesses all the qualities of a first-rate cop and detective. He’s hardworking, dedicated, ethical, street-smart, observant, trustworthy and community- minded. He treats everyone with respect, and in return, people from all walks of life – from the most hardened criminals to the pillars of our community – are willing to talk with him and provide him information to resolve criminal cases. And Jim has the arrest record to prove it.”

Stewart spent 35 years with the Joliet Police Department, where he rose through the ranks from patrol officer to captain. Along the way, he investigated murders, gang shootings, robberies, thefts, batteries, arsons, frauds and sexual assaults.

As a Joliet detective, he was instrumental in solving the mysterious disappearance of a family that accidentally drove their vehicle into the Des Plaines River in 2001, and in 2002 he reopened a cold case that brought to justice the killer of a 32-year-old nurse 11 years earlier. 

As a commanding officer, Stewart led by example. To motivate his staff in 1997, then-Sgt. Stewart made a remarkable 246 arrests of which 22 suspects were wanted on no bond warrants. Bonds set in court on the remaining arrests totaled $4.5 million.

Stewart’s law enforcement career continued after his retirement from Joliet at the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, where he continues to initiate and supplement investigations on behalf of prosecutors and other police agencies. He has worked countless murder, sexual assault, domestic violence and burglary investigations across Will County. In addition, he has coordinated the protection and transportation of witnesses during all major felony trials, including the prosecution of Drew Peterson. 

The Stars of Distinction, 2014 Awards Dinner will honor individuals and the organizations they serve in recognition of their outstanding work in law enforcement. Recipients of the Stars of Distinction awards are local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who have made significant contributions to crime-fighting efforts.


Bolingbrook soccer coach charged with soliciting a minor

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November 3

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that indecent solicitation and grooming charges have been filed against a Bolingbrook soccer coach following an investigation conducted by the State’s Attorney’s High Technology Crimes Unit.  

Jason Lentz, 39, of 1487 Firethorn Street, Bolingbrook, was arrested on Saturday by investigators from several jurisdictions, including the Will County State’s Attorney’s High Technology Crimes Unit, the Bolingbrook Police Department, the DuPage County Internet Crimes Unit and the Naperville Police Department’s High Technology Crimes Unit.

Lentz was charged with Indecent Solicitation of a Child (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4) and Unlawful Grooming (Class 4).  

Lentz was identified as a suspect after a concerned mother contacted State’s Attorney Glasgow’s High Technology Crimes Unit regarding allegedly inappropriate text message conversations. The specialized investigative unit focuses on tracking down individuals who use the Internet and other technological devices to exploit children.

The felony charges filed Monday allege the defendant, who is a coach for the Bolingbrook Raiders soccer club, used a cellular telephone to hold inappropriate text message conversations of a sexual nature with someone he believed to be a minor. However, High Technology Crimes Unit investigators had taken over that minor’s text message account during the one-month investigation. 

Bond was set at Monday at $250,000. The defendant must post 10 percent or $25,000 to secure his release while he awaits trial, and he must surrender his passport. As a condition of his bond, the defendant must not have contact with the Bolingbrook Raiders as well as with anyone under the age of 18. He also cannot use the Internet except for work purposes.

The Will County State’s Attorney 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 dou


Attorney Glasgow encourages citizens to report election irregularities to Election Fraud Hotline

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October 30

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow encourages citizens to report election irregularities to his Election Fraud Hotline during the upcoming election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Citizens are encouraged to report inappropriate activity, such as passing out campaign literature or other acts of electioneering either inside or too close to polling places.

The Election Fraud Hotline number is (815) 727-8872.

State’s Attorney Glasgow has assigned two-person teams, each consisting of one assistant state’s attorney and one investigator, to travel to polling places where irregularities are reported on Election Day.

Assistant state’s attorneys not assigned to specific teams will be available for dispatch from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office to investigate allegations of election irregularities reported to the Hotline.


Will County Drug Court to graduate 16 who kicked addictions

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October 29

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that the Will County Drug Court will graduate 16 people who have successfully completed the program and are living drug-free lives.

The Will County Drug Court will hold a graduation ceremony at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30 in the Victorian Ballroom at the Jacob Henry Mansion, 15 South Richards Street, in Joliet. 

Program graduates are from Joliet, Plainfield, Lockport, New Lenox, Glen Ellen, Shorewood, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Monee and Homer Glen. They join more than 330 others who have graduated from Drug Court over the past 14 years.

The Drug Court program is designed to help abusers who have committed non-violent offenses battle their addictions. Those allowed into the program are carefully screened and must remain drug free, submit to random drug tests, find employment, follow through with treatment and attend weekly Drug Court sessions. The graduation ceremony is the final step in the intensive year long-process. 

State’s Attorney Glasgow spearheaded the creation of the program in the late 1990s. He was one of the first state’s attorney’s to fully embrace the value of Drug Courts.

“Drug Court helps recovering addicts get their lives back on track, and it’s a tremendous value for our taxpayers,” Glasgow said. “Participants are given the guidance and supervision they need to break their addictions and rejoin the community as productive citizens. Drug Court saves ten times the money for taxpayers when we compare it to the cost of prosecuting and incarcerating non-violent offenders.”

The graduation ceremony is open to the public.  For information on the upcoming ceremony, call (815) 774-7852 or (815) 723-1630.


Man gets 122 years for gunning down teenage girlfriend in Romeoville

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October 20

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James W. Glasgow announced today that a Cicero man has been sentenced to 122 years in prison for the brutal murder of his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend and the attempted murder of her mother outside their Romeoville house in February.

The young girl’s mother survived the shooting on Feb. 15 in the 300 block of Emery Avenue.

A jury in September found Erick Maya, 24, guilty of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

The young girl, Briana Valle, and her mother, Alicia Guerrero, were inside their vehicle in front of their home when Maya crept up and shot Briana in the head.  He then shot Guerrero as she hovered protectively over her mortally wounded daughter and begged Maya not to shoot. Briana died on Feb. 17. Guerrero testified against Maya during a two-week trial that began Sept. 8.

“This cowardly manipulator killed an innocent girl because he couldn’t stand that she wanted to escape his control. And then he shot her mother, who was fortunate to survive this vicious attack,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “Erick Maya will now spend the rest of his life in prison, where he will never control even the smallest aspect of his own life, and where he will never be free to harm another young girl or her family.”

The grief-stricken mother told the jury during the trial how she struggled to stop the older man from seeing her teenage daughter. Her efforts to stop the relationship met with resistance at first from Briana, who ran away to be with Maya. The defendant later gave Briana an engagement ring and sent flowers and balloons to her school for Valentine’s Day in 2013, Guerrero testified.

After Guerrero and her husband moved the family to Romeoville to get away from Maya, the relationship between the defendant and Briana soured. Maya then began sending text messages to Briana threatening to harm her family.

On the day of the shooting, Maya took a cab from Cicero to Romeoville. After shooting the young girl and her mother, Maya fled on foot and was found by police several hours later, hiding under a nearby porch.

The State’s Attorney thanked his prosecutors, Assistant State’s Attorneys Elizabeth Domagalla, Chris Koch and Jim Long for excellent trial work and for securing the public’s safety with a significant prison sentence. He also credited the Romeoville Police Department for its first-rate investigation that brought Maya to justice.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Joshua Miner Trial

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September 22

The trial in People V. Miner (13CF101) is expected to begin on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at the Will County Courthouse, 14 W. Jefferson St., in Joliet.

The case is now scheduled as a bench trial to begin after several pretrial motions are addressed at 9:30 a.m.

Once again, it is highly recommended that media representatives apply for and obtain Will County press credentials from the Will County Sheriff’s Department before the start of the trial.

Contact Kathy Hoffmeyer at the Sheriff’s Department at (815) 727-5681 ASAP to apply for or update your credentials.


MEDIA ADVISORY: Joshua Miner Trial

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September 17

Jury selection in the trial of People V. Miner (13CF101) is expected to begin on Monday, September 22, 2014 at the Will County Courthouse, 14 W. Jefferson St., in Joliet. The case is scheduled for the morning call at 9:30 a.m., although it is possible jury selection will not begin until later in the morning.

It is highly recommended that media representatives apply for and obtain Will County press credentials from the Will County Sheriff’s Department before the start of the trial.

Contact Kathy Hoffmeyer at the Sheriff’s Department at (815) 727-5681 ASAP to apply for or update your credentials.

Press credentials enable you to avoid lines outside the courthouse and to bring laptops and cellular telephones into the courthouse that can be secured in a locker outside the courtroom.


Indiana truck driver indicted for reckless homicide in fatal crash on I-55

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August 28

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James W. Glasgow announces that reckless homicide indictments have been returned against an Indiana truck driver accused of causing a collision on Interstate 55 that resulted in the deaths of five individuals.


Francisco Espinal-Quiroz,  51, of Leesburg, IN, was indicted on 15 counts of reckless homicide Wednesday.  The indictments became public after they were returned Thursday morning.


The indictments allege that Espinal-Quiroz was speeding through a construction zone; that he failed to keep a proper lookout for vehicles stopping or slowing in a construction zone; that he failed to decrease his speed when a special hazard existed; and that he had physical conditions that limited his ability to drive safely. One of those physical conditions is a complete loss of vision in his right eye due to a 1984 injury.


The indictments name as victims Timothy Osburn, Kimberly Britton, Piper Britton, Vicky Palacios and Ulrike Bopleh


Reckless homicide is a Class 2 Felony. The defendant could face between six and 28 years in prison if he is convicted. Espinal-Quiroz had previously been indicted on false recording of a commercial driver record duty of status and failure to maintain a record duty of status. Both are Class 4 Felonies.
He is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on the indictments on September 9.  The defendant remains in the Will County Jail on a $1 million bond.


The July 21 collision remains under investigation and review by the Illinois State Police and the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.


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