December 22

Today, Illinois’ DuPage County, Kane County, Will County, and McHenry County are filing lawsuits against some of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical companies and physicians over the aggressive and fraudulent marketing of prescription opioid painkillers. This corporate-caused drug epidemic is being fought by countless Illinois families and has led to thousands of overdoses and hundreds of deaths in 2017 alone. 

Will County State’s Attorney Glasgow is joined by (from left) McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally, Kane County State’s Attorney Joseph McMahon, DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin, and DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin in announcing the filing of lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry for its role in creating the opioid crisis that has devastated our region and our nation.In addition, Lake County has joined the coalition of counties and filed a similar lawsuit this morning against some of the country’s largest pharmaceutical companies.

In the individual county complaints filed this morning in Illinois State Court, the five counties seek relief including compensatory and punitive damages for the millions of dollars they spend each year to combat drug-related crimes and the public nuisance created by the drug companies’ deceptive marketing campaign. In addition to monetary damages, the counties are seeking to enjoin the defendants and prohibit them from their continued unfair and deceptive acts and practices.

The defendants in the lawsuits for DuPage County, Kane County, Will County, and McHenry County are: Purdue Pharma L.P.; Purdue Pharma, Inc.; The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc.; Abbott Laboratories; Abbott Laboratories, Inc.; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.; Cephalon, Inc.; Johnson & Johnson; Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc.; Endo Health Solutions Inc.; Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Dr. Perry Fine; Dr. Scott Fishman; and Dr. Lynn Webster. 

“In Will County we have creative law enforcement agencies and community organizations that have developed cutting-edge approaches to battling the opioid crisis, but we have still seen the number of overdose deaths increase dramatically over the years,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “It is time we take steps to begin holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for practices that created the demand for these deadly narcotics as well as their failure to disclose damaging research that demonstrated their highly addictive nature.”

According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, opioids contributed to nearly 1,200 overdose deaths in Illinois in 2016. The Illinois Department of Public Health reports that more Illinoisans died from an opioid-related drug overdose (due to heroin and prescription opioid pain relievers) in 2014 than from homicide or motor vehicle accidents. Illinois is one of 14 states that has seen an 8.3 percent increase in overdose deaths.

In 2015, the Counties experienced 237 opioid deaths:

• DuPage County – approximately 51 deaths
• Kane County – approximately 35 deaths
• Will County – approximately 53 deaths
• McHenry County – approximately 28 deaths
• Lake County – approximately 70 deaths

Apart from the toll on human life, the crisis has financially strained the services the counties provide its residents and employees. Human services, social services, court services, law enforcement services, the office of the coroner/medical examiner and health services, including hospital, emergency and ambulatory services, have all been severely impacted by the crisis. For example, as a direct and foreseeable consequence of the defendants’ egregious conduct, the counties have paid, and continue to pay, millions of dollars for health care costs stemming from prescription opioid dependency. 

These costs include unnecessary and excessive opioid prescriptions, substance abuse treatment services, ambulatory services, emergency department services, and inpatient hospital services, among others. The defendants’ conduct also caused the counties to incur substantial economic, administrative and social costs relating to opioid addiction and abuse, including criminal justice costs, victimization costs, child protective services costs, lost productivity costs, and education and prevention program costs, among others.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants sought to create a false perception among physicians, patients, health care providers and health care payers that using opioids to treat chronic pain was safe for most patients and that the drugs’ benefits outweighed the risks. This was allegedly perpetrated through a civil conspiracy involving a coordinated, sophisticated and highly deceptive (unbranded to evade the extensive regulatory framework governing branded communications) promotion and marketing campaign that began in the late 1990s and became more aggressive around 2006. Specifically, the complaints detail how the defendants allegedly poured significant financial resources into generating articles, continuing medical education courses and other materials, conducting sales visits to doctors, and supporting a network of professional societies and advocacy groups supporting the long-term use of opioids.

December 14

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow welcomed a recent visit by Shorewood Police Department members who presented a generous $3,000 check to benefit the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, a not-for-profit agency he founded 22 years ago.

State’s Attorney James Glasgow (second from left) receives a $3,000 check for the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center presented by Shorewood Police Department representatives: (from left) Donna Prince, Administrative Assistant to the Police Chief; Det. Paul Hulbert; and K9 Officer John Coldwater.

The Children’s Advocacy Center was one of the beneficiaries of this year’s Shorewood Police Department Golf Outing held in September at Heritage Bluff Golf Club.

The check was presented to State’s Attorney Glasgow by Det. Paul Hulbert, K9 Officer John Coldwater, and Donna Prince, Administrative Assistant to the Police Chief.

State’s Attorney Glasgow, who chairs the Board of Directors for the Children’s Advocacy Center, established the agency in 1995 to improve the way allegations of child sexual abuse are investigated.

When children make an outcry of sexual abuse, they are brought to the center, where trained and compassionate forensic interviewers obtain accurate statements in a neutral, non-suggestive and child-friendly environment. Interviews recorded at the center have been used to successfully prosecute thousands of child predators. In addition, the center’s experienced staff provides children and families with advocacy, counseling and social services that enable the healing process to begin.

The Shorewood Police Department understands the important work performed by the Children’s Advocacy Center and has referred many child sexual abuse cases to the agency over the years. In 2017 alone, the Children’s Advocacy Center conducted 12 forensic interviews with children and handled 13 service referrals stemming from Shorewood investigations. The sexual abuse of children can happen in any community.

“I cannot stress how meaningful it is when police agencies step forward and acknowledge the role that the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center plays in their criminal investigations,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “Thank you to the Shorewood Police Department for partnering with us as we bring hope, healing, and justice to sexually abused children.”

For information about the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, call (815) 774-4565 or visit on the Web at www.willcountycac.org.

November 16

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that a Crest Hill man who strangled his wife to death two years ago was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday morning.

Cesar Garcia, 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in August. He killed Laura Gonzalez, 22, on Aug. 25, 2015. Police officers conducting a well-being check at the victim’s apartment found her body on a bed with the defendant lying next to her.

Garcia, who previously had been charged with domestic violence, was disoriented and lethargic. The defendant, who was not living at the apartment at the time, later admitted to police that he had strangled Gonzalez in the kitchen, telling her that if he can’t have her, no one else will. He then moved her to the bedroom, made some superficial cuts to his wrist, swallowed some pills, and took two sips of a household cleaner.

The victim also had injuries to her head and face as well as cuts to her wrists. She had become involved in a new relationship and had been trying to end her relationship with Garcia.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Peter Wilkes. Circuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak handed down the sentence.

November 13

JOLIET – State’s Attorney James Glasgow is deeply honored to have been selected to receive the Silver Cross Sangmeister Medal of Excellence for Community Service at the annual Childerguild Ball this Saturday evening, Nov. 18.

Childerguild has served Silver Cross Hospital for more than 100 years by raising funds to support and serve women and children. Proceeds from this year’s Childerguild Ball, an annual event that dates back to 1928, will be used to benefit women’s and children’s programs and services at Silver Cross Hospital.

The Silver Cross Sangmeister Medal of Excellence is named after the late U.S. Congressman George E. Sangmeister, the medal’s first recipient. It is awarded to a leading citizen recognized for competence, service, and dedication in a field other than healthcare who contributes to the common good. Recipients exemplify the values of caring service that are the cornerstone of Silver Cross Hospital.

“I am truly honored to have been chosen for this prestigious award from Silver Cross Hospital, which was one of the founding members of the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “It is profoundly gratifying that Childerguild and Silver Cross have recognized my work over the years on behalf of our community. It is also a tremendous privilege to be included on the long list of names of those who have received this distinguished honor, including Congressman Sangmeister, the Rev. Isaac Singleton, J.D. Ross, and Terry D’Arcy, to name a few. 

Childerguild and Silver Cross Hospital describe State’s Attorney Glasgow as “an outstanding example of a person who for over 22 years has unselfishly given many hours of his time to help others.”

According to the Silver Cross Hospital Web site:

“As Will County State’s Attorney, he has implemented groundbreaking initiatives to investigate, prosecute and prevent crime. To set up many of these initiatives, Glasgow used confiscated money forfeited to the state by criminals to fight domestic violence, safeguard children, help the mentally ill, battle street gangs and illegal drugs, and assist veterans.

“Glasgow spearheaded the creation of the Will County Drug Court; the first (Drug Court) Recovery Homes; Will County’s first Specialized Domestic Violence Court; Mental Health Court; HERO/HELPS program to warn parents, educators and teens about the deadly dangers of using heroin; a High Technology Crimes Unit to investigate and prosecute predators who trade and view child pornography over the Internet; and Veterans Court to provide critical counseling and treatment to those who served our Nation and struggle with mental health and substance abuse disorders.

“Glasgow also established the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to stop child sexual violators in their tracks. The Center has been instrumental in the successful prosecution of literally thousands of child predators over the last 22 years. In addition, some of the community organizations benefitting from his generous support are the Rotary Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way of Will County and the Forest Park Community Center.”

Larry Johnson, vice president of the Foundation for Silver Cross Hospital, said: “James Glasgow is an exceptional role model of service to the community in which he resides. His intense passion to use the law to create fairness and justice has enhanced the lives of so many residents of Will County.” 

Past recipients include LaVerne and Dorothy Brown, Debra Condotti, Terry D’Arcy, James “Jim” Fagan, Gladys Fox, Br. James Gaffney, Pam Heavens, Doug Hutchison, John Leach, Frank Margaron, Dr. Cheryl McCarthy, FSC, Val Rand, Bob Rogina, J.D. Ross, Rev. Isaac Singelton Sr., Russ Slinkard, and Frank Turk, Jr. 

In addition to State’s Attorney Glasgow, Dr. Dave Mikolajczak, emergency medicine physician with EM Strategies at Silver Cross Hospital, will be honored at the Childerguild Ball as a recipient of the Sehring Medal of Excellence. The honor recognizes the accomplishments of an outstanding individual for service to the health care profession.

The Childerguild Ball begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., and the presentation of awards at 7 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing. Tickets are $250 per person. Black tie attire is optional. For information, contact the Silver Cross Foundation at (815) 300-7105

November 6

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that a Bolingbrook man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child in the early 2000s.

Fred Mack Jr., 65, was found guilty of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child at the conclusion of a jury trial on Aug. 23. The defendant sexually assaulted a girl who was 12-years-old and in the seventh grade sometime between 2003 and 2004.

The victim, who is now in her 20s, reported the assault to Bolingbrook police in 2016. She was prompted to file a report with authorities while she was working in a dance production that dealt with sexual abuse. The statute of limitations to file child sexual assault charges has been extended by state lawmakers on multiple occasions over the past decades and now stands at 20 years after the victim reaches the age of 18.

“This woman showed remarkable courage coming forward years after she was assaulted by this predator,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “Bolingbrook Detectives Ken Simpson and Tom Gallas conducted a first-rate investigation that enabled my prosecutors, Jeff Brown and Kelly Tebo, to finally bring him to justice.”

The defendant was a family friend and a pastor who sexually assaulted the child on many occasions between September of 2002 and July of 2004, according to testimony presented at trial and sentencing. The victim testified Mack molested her on as many as 100 occasions when she was left alone with him, some occasions predating the offense listed in the criminal charge. The defendant, however, disputed the number of times this occurred, telling investigators he only molested her on fewer than 25 occasions.

State’s Attorney Glasgow said this case should encourage other adult victims to come forward to report sexual assaults that occurred when they were children.

“These are often difficult cases to prove,” he said. “But the General Assembly has given us latitude with the statute of limitations so that predators who counted on the vulnerability and silence of their underage victims can still be held accountable.”