Will County joins collar counties filing lawsuits against opioid manufacturers

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.


State’s Attorney Glasgow hosting Jan. 16 community blood drive in honor of late Jim Stewart, SAO investigator, dedicated blood donor

December 20

Will County Children’s Advocacy Center 
joins partnership on Taylor Babec Blood DriveNEW LOCATION:
Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, 
304 N. Scott Street in downtown Joliet

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that the first Taylor Babec Community Blood Drive of 2018 hosted by his office will be in honor of the late Jim Stewart, a dedicated Heartland Blood Centers donor who led his Investigations Division for more than seven years.

The Taylor Babec Community Blood Drive will be held from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16 at a new location in front of the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, 304 N. Scott Street, directly across the street from the Will County Office Building. Parking for the drive will be in the Will County Office parking lot. The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center is partnering with State’s Attorney Glasgow to host the drive.

Stewart, who was also a retired Joliet Police Captain, died in early November after an extended illness. However, before he became sick, this beloved local law enforcement officer followed a strict blood-donation regimen, having scheduled as many as six appointments per year since 1987.

During that period, Stewart made 160 donations and gave an astonishing 20 gallons of blood. This means that his donations over the years provided life-saving transfusions to 480 patients who had been in collisions, suffered serious injuries, or undergone medical procedures.

“Jim Stewart was an amazing individual who certainly left his mark on our local law enforcement community,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “But one of his greatest legacies might be the countless people he impacted by quietly and regularly giving blood the minute he was eligible to make another donation. We may never know for certain how many people are alive today because of his dedication. I would encourage everyone in local law enforcement and in county government to roll up their sleeves at our January blood drive in Jim Stewart’s honor.”

Joliet mother Jennifer Babec knows first-hand the important role committed donors like Jim Stewart play in saving lives. Her daughter, Taylor, required 22 blood transfusions that restored her health and her spirits during her successful battle against lymphoma when she was a little girl. Taylor’s cancer is in remission, but Jennifer continues to coordinate drives in her honor so there is an ample supply for others who need transfusions.

During the Jan. 16 blood drive:

  • Heartland representatives will present a plaque to Jim Stewart’s widow, Amy, to honor his lifetime of donating blood.
  • All donors will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card that is being presented by State’s Attorney Glasgow.
  • Everyone who donates will receive a free noodle bowl (a $13 value) from Noodles & Company.
  • And Will County employees and their spouses who donate will receive one health insurance Wellness Point to be applied to the year that began in April 2017. Employees must register in advance by visiting www.managewell.com and logging on to the worksite wellness activity: “Blood Drive – Taylor Babec S/A.”

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

Donations Desperately Needed in January

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. January, however, is also a time when bad weather, personal illnesses and hectic post-holiday schedules prevent people from making blood donations. 

This Blood Drive is an opportunity to boost the local blood supply.

Who benefits from blood donations? Cancer patients may require up to eight units per month; bone marrow transplant patients may require up to two units per day. Liver transplant patients may require up to 100 units, and auto accident victims may need as many as 50 units. It is also worth noting that:

  • More than 95 percent of Americans who reach the age of 72 will need blood (or one of the products that can be derived by blood) in their lifetime.
  • About 75 percent of all people over the age of 30 have at least one personal acquaintance that has had a blood transfusion.
  • Blood is a fragile substance. It is a liquid, living tissue that must be used within 42 days (five days for platelets) of the time it is donated.

Heartland operates under a volunteer donor system and works toward collecting more than 172,000 units of blood annually with a commitment of meeting local blood needs. Participating in a drive with Heartland means that 100 percent of the blood donated is returned to the communities it serves. Heartland is the sole provider of blood and blood products for Silver Cross Hospital and Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center.


Shorewood Police make generous $3,000 contribution to Will County Children’s Advocacy Center

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.


State’s Attorney Glasgow, Terry D’Arcy donate new transport van to Boys & Girls Club of Joliet during dedication ceremony

December 7

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow and Terry D’Arcy of D’Arcy Motors have partnered once again to purchase and provide a transport vehicle to another vital community service agency: The Boys & Girls Club of Joliet.

Terry D’Arcy of D’Arcy Motors, State’s Attorney Glasgow, and Executive Director Kahlil Diab hold up a replica of a title to the Boys & Girls Club’s new transport van.

The state’s attorney and the local business leader joined forces to deliver a new 16-passenger van that the Boys & Girls Club will use to transport youths to and from field trips, special events, educational, and athletic opportunities and other beneficial programs with partner organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The van was presented through their ongoing public-private partnership to provide meaningful assistance to at-risk children in our community

State’s Attorney Glasgow and D’Arcy have split the $27,000 cost for this safe and reliable transport vehicle, which they presented to Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Kahlil Diab during an afternoon dedication and title-transfer ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 7 at the club in downtown Joliet. The Rev. Herb Brooks, who is also a Will County Board Member, blessed the van during the ceremony.

Making certain the Boys & Girls Club can safely transport its participants to various activities enables this important youth organization to function effectively. More than 1,000 youths, ranging in age from 6 to 18, are enrolled in the program, which for more than 60 years has provided a safe and positive environment where young people can engage in fun, character-building activities supervised by informed, supportive adults.

On any given afternoon during the school year, between 115 and 120 children come to the club in downtown Joliet to participate in various activities. That number skyrockets to 450 children per day during the summer when school is not in session.

State’s Attorney Glasgow, Kahlil Diab, and Terry D’Arcy.

“The Boys & Girls Club provides a critical positive influence on at-risk children in our community,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “This vital organization provides a safe haven for young people where they can participate in fun, constructive activities under the skillful and compassionate guidance of dedicated mentors. These adults help them build character and self-esteem, enabling them to steer clear of the evils of street gangs and drugs. We want to make certain that the lack of a reliable transport vehicle doesn’t keep these kids from participating in events and programs that can literally save their lives.”

The State’s Attorney continued: “Experience makes it clear that every dollar that we spend on prevention and intervention like this saves us 10-plus dollars in remedial costs. This investment in our Boys and Girls Club will result in huge dividends down the road. Terry Darcy’s eagerness to participate in this life changing public-private endeavor is further evidence of how our local business leaders understand the need to give back to the community they serve.”

Director Diab said: “We are humbled by the compassion and generosity shown by State’s Attorney Glasgow and Terry D’Arcy with this much needed donation. This concerted effort is a true testament to their commitment to the at-risk youth in our community.”

State’s Attorney Glasgow and D’Arcy have purchased a total of four vans since 2015 for the following agencies: the Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County; two vans for the Forest Park Community Center; and the Spanish Community Center. The transport vans they have donated all were able to accommodate 14 to 16 passengers and were critical to the functioning of these agencies. The Boys & Girls Club van marks the fifth van they have donated together.

It is important to note that State’s Attorney Glasgow utilized no taxpayer funding to cover his half of the van expenditure. Instead, he used money he seized from criminals who were engaged in illegal activities in Will County to pay for the van. 

For more information on the Boys & Girls Club of Joliet and its programs, please call (815) 723-3434.


Crest Hill man gets 30 years for strangling his wife to death

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.


Joliet man guilty of 2002 murder; Eric Glover shot girlfriend while she was lying in bed with their young daughter

November 15

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that a Joliet man who shot his longtime girlfriend while she was in bed with their young child has been found guilty of first-degree murder.

Eric Glover, 45, murdered Velma Franklin in the early-morning hours of June 17, 2002. Franklin and her 3-year-old daughter were lying in bed when Glover entered the room and shot the young mother in the head.

Glover fled the house after the shooting, leaving his frightened little daughter in the bed, where she remained until Franklin’s body was discovered the next morning by her other children.

Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes found Glover guilty Wednesday afternoon at the conclusion of a seven-day bench trial. The defendant faces 45 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 29.

Testimony at the trial revealed that Glover and Franklin had a stormy relationship and that the defendant had committed acts of domestic violence on prior occasions, one time slamming her head into a door frame.

Two months before Franklin was killed, Glover shot a .38-caliber weapon over her head while she was lying in bed, leaving the bullet in the wall. The bullet was retrieved from the wall on the day her body was discovered. It was found to be the same caliber as the bullet that was removed from the victim’s head during the autopsy.

In addition, Franklin’s daughter, in a recorded interview at the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, told officials that her father had shot her mother.

The case was charged in 2002 but dismissed by a prior administration in the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. However, Jim Stewart, a retired Joliet Police Captain who took over as chief of the Investigations Division for the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office in 2010, urged State’s Attorney Glasgow to review the case and reinstate it in 2012. Sadly, Stewart passed away days before the verdict. 

“This guilty verdict my prosecutors secured today is a testament to Jim Stewart’s dogged determination and his desire for justice on behalf of Velma Franklin,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “This case would never have gotten another look and a cowardly murderer would still be free if Jim Stewart had not championed the cause.”

The State’s Attorney also credited his prosecutors, Frank Byers, Christine Vukmir, and John Rickmon for their excellent trial work that secured this important verdict.


Silver Cross Hospital, Childerguild to honor State’s Attorney Glasgow with Silver Cross Sangmeister Medal of Excellence for Community Service

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


Seven to graduate from Will County Adult Redeploy Illinois program

November 13

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that seven defendants who have committed non-violent crimes over the years will graduate from Will County Adult Redeploy Illinois, an innovative court diversion program that seeks to keep non-violent offenders out of state prisons by providing community-based services.

The graduation is scheduled for 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 15 in the Will County Board Room, 302 N. Chicago Street in Joliet. The event is open to the public.

Defendants from Joliet, Channahon, Plainfield, and Naperville will graduate from the program Wednesday. They pleaded guilty upfront to charges that include theft, identity theft, and possession of a controlled substance to participate in the intensive 18-month program that helps them avoid a prison sentence.

Adult Redeploy Illinois strives to change offenders’ criminal behavior through counseling, substance abuse treatment, mental health therapy and job location services. The ultimate goal is to rehabilitate defendants rather than allow them to cycle in and out of the criminal justice system and state prisons at the expense of taxpayers.

Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI), established by the Crime Reduction Act (Public Act 96-0761), is based on the premise that crime can be reduced and costs of the criminal justice system can be controlled by understanding and addressing the reasons people commit crimes. Another key premise is that local jurisdictions know best what resources are necessary to reduce crime. Currently 39 Illinois counties have functioning ARI programs.

“We must find ways to avoid cycling non-violent offenders through the prison system and billing taxpayers $25,000 annually per inmate,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “It is far more cost-effective to invest a few thousand dollars in services for these defendants upfront to put them on a path that returns them to their communities as productive, law-abiding citizens. We don’t just save money with this program; we help people reclaim their lives.”

Will County Adult Redeploy Illinois was established in early 2015. There are currently more than 30 participants in the program. Circuit Judge Carla Policandriotes presides over the court.

ARI is one of several Specialty Courts supervised by Will County State’s Attorney Glasgow’s office, including Drug Court, Veterans Court and Mental Health Court.


Bolingbrook man gets 10 years in prison for sexual assault of 12-year-old girl that occurred between 2003 and 2004

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.”


State’s Attorney Glasgow partners with Joliet Police Department to purchase state-of-the-art laser scanning system to process crime scenes

October 18

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that he is partnering with the Joliet Police Department to purchase a state-of-the-art laser scanning system that will dramatically advance the processing of violent crime and crash scenes.

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow (from left), Joliet Police Deputy Chief Al Roechner, and Chief Brian Benton, prior to a recent Joliet City Council meeting during which the State’s Attorney announced a $43,089 contribution to help the department pay for a state-of-the-art scanning system to assist evidence technicians in processing crime and crash scenes.

State’s Attorney Glasgow has utilized money he seized from criminals engaged in illegal activities to cover half the cost of the FARO S350 3D Laser Scanner from FARO Technologies in Lake Mary, Florida. The State’s Attorney’s Office has forwarded a check totaling $43,089.42 to pay for half of the $84,200 laser scanning and measurement system.

The phenomenal technology in this package will dramatically advance the ability of the Joliet Police Department’s highly skilled crime scene technicians to quickly process crime and crash scenes with pinpoint accuracy and high-definition detail.

“Effective crime-scene processing is the critical first step in every investigation,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “I have witnessed the application of this technology in several investigations in the past several months, and I believe it to be one of the most significant law enforcement developments in years.

Evidence technicians at a murder scene will spend hours taking photographs and video, making meticulous measurements, and drawing detailed diagrams. The same is true for collision reconstruction specialists at vehicle crash scenes, some of which can span several city blocks or long stretches of rural road. This 21st Century technology, in their skilled hands, will substantially reduce the amount of time it takes them to document these scenes for investigation and prosecution purposes. Furthermore, the FARO system will enhance their accuracy down to the millimeter and provide a recorded perspective of crime or crash scenes that is unprecedented.

“My prosecutors will be able to lay the foundation to use these records at trial, giving judges and jurors incredibly detailed three-dimensional views of these crime scenes,” the State’s Attorney said. “We will literally be taking the jury to a crime scene, not after-the-fact as has historically been done in the past, but at the exact moment that all the relevant evidence is still in its original location.”

“The Joliet Police Department is committed to delivering the highest level of professionalism in Public Safety,” said Police Chief Brian Benton. “This state-of-the art crime scene technology will help us in our efforts and we appreciate States Attorney Glasgow’s continued support.” 

The State’s Attorney’s contribution for this system uses no taxpayer dollars. “Instead, I am using money I have seized from criminals who were engaged in illegal activities in our county,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “I can think of no more appropriate use for such money than to assist Will County’s largest police department in solving violent crimes and taking dangerous criminals off our streets.”