December 13

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow today announced that a Bourbonnais man who was convicted in the double murder of a man and woman bludgeoned to death in a Joliet auto body shop in 2016 has been sentenced to life in prison. William N. Krasawski, 43, was sentenced Wednesday by Circuit Judge David Carlson for the killing of Michael Oram, 48, of Joliet, and Jamie Wills, 43, of Lockport. 

Prosecutors had said Krasawski spent the day of March 8, 2016, smoking crack cocaine with the victims inside Fleet Specialty Painting and Auto body shop on Cass Street, and used a pipe wrench and hammer to bludgeon the victims to death. The two bodies were discovered inside the body shop the following morning by Oram’s brother, Doug Oram, Jr., and Oram’s father, who were the owners of the body shop. 

At trial, Krasawski’s mother testified that Krasawski came to her home March 9 asking for money and the title to his car, telling her that she might not see him for a long while. Additionally, his sister testified that he called asking her to bring him a change of clothes to a hotel in Chicago Heights. Police later found him at that hotel.

The jury arrived at the guilty verdicts in June after deliberating for just over two hours.

“William Krasawski violently murdered two people in cold blood, and for this terrible crime he has been sentenced to spend the remainder of his life in prison,” stated Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow. “A dangerous criminal with no regard for human life will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he will never again have the opportunity to viciously attack another innocent person.”

Glasgow credited the Joliet Police Department and Detectives Aaron Bandy and Jeff German for their detailed and professional investigation that enabled prosecutors to put the defendant behind bars. He also praised Assistant State’s Attorneys Mike Fitzgerald, Dan Egan, and Jeff Tuminello for securing the verdicts and sentence against this violent criminal.

October 3

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that his Crimes Against Children Unit played a major role in the investigation and arrest of a Bradley man on charges alleging the suspect solicited someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl from Virginia for sex.

Martin Franklin Walter Bollhorst, 54, was arrested Tuesday as part of a joint operation by State’s Attorney Glasgow’s Crimes Against Children Unit, the Fairfax County (VA) Police Department, the Bradley Police Department, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department, the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Bollhorst was arrested on four felony counts from Virginia alleging he used a mobile communication device to solicit a child. The alleged victim in this case was actually the persona of a 13-year-old girl that Detective Robert Bauer of the Fairfax County Police Department had created to capture online predators.

The detective began communicating with the defendant during a multijurisdictional traveler operation that began in July. During online conversations, the defendant is alleged in charges to have made direct sexual overtures toward the individual he believe to be an underage girl.

State’s Attorney Glasgow’s Crimes Against Children Unit Investigator, Megan Brooks, working with the Fairfax County Police Department, assisted in tracking the defendant’s IP address. She also visited a Bradley bar the defendant frequents, where she conducted surveillance to match his live description with digital photos he had sent to the Fairfax County detective. In addition, Investigator Dan Simenson from the Crimes Against Children Unit assisted during the execution of the search warrant. 

State’s Attorney Glasgow’s Crimes Against Children Unit became involved in the case at the request of the Illinois Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which had been assisting Fairfax County in the case. 

“Our children are sacred. If we are to protect them, we must be willing and ready to lend our expertise to any outside agency that is building a case to take a child predator off the streets,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “Megan Brooks is a resourceful investigator who I have directed to extend her hand in cooperation with law enforcement throughout the country when necessary and appropriate.”

Brooks also is the handler of Cache, a 75-pound Black Labrador that is trained to detect hidden electronic devices that may be used by suspects to store illegal child pornography. Brooks and Cache have assisted in the execution of dozens of search warrants for agencies that include the FBI, U.S. Probation, and Homeland Security to name a few. State’s Attorney Glasgow makes Cache available to assist other agencies because the dog is one of only two in Illinois with that specific training.

Bollhorst currently is awaiting extradition to Virginia.

August 13

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow will host a Child Sex Trafficking Summit in September during which Will County community leaders will discuss steps already being taken to protect our children and outline future strategies to end this horrific exploitation.

The summit, which the State’s Attorney is hosting in conjunction with the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center and the National Criminal Justice Training Center, will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 7 at the Renaissance Center, 214 N. Ottawa St., in downtown Joliet.

The summit is designed for law enforcement officials, educators, business and industry leaders, prosecutors, child welfare advocates/DCFS, probation professionals, victim services advocates, and elected officials.

State’s Attorney Glasgow established the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to improve investigations into child sexual abuse. Children who have been sexually abused come to the Center to provide recorded statements to specially trained and compassionate forensic interviewers. The Center also provides counseling as well as referrals to other medical and social services so the healing process for these vulnerable victims can begin.

“The Children’s Advocacy Center has been working for more than two decades to provide hope, healing, and justice for abused children,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “Through this summit, we are expanding our efforts to end the systematic sexual exploitation of our children and remove dangerous child predators from our community.”

As part of this initiative, State’s Attorney Glasgow and the Children’s Advocacy Center have formed a Will County Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Coalition. The State’s Attorney also has designated a specialized Child Sexual Exploitation Advocate to provide case management support and advocacy to youths who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation.

The State’s Attorney also implemented a high technology Crimes Against Children Unit in 2012 to track and prosecute predators who trade child pornography online. Research has documented disturbing links between those who exploit children by collecting and trading sexually abusive images and those who are hands-on abusers. The unit has uncovered a number of cases involving defendants who were actually producing child pornography and who were hands-on abusers. The team’s critical work has enabled the Children’s Advocacy to identify and help children even before they make an outcry of sexual abuse or a law enforcement/DCFS investigation begins.

September’s Child Sex Trafficking Summit will include facilitated discussions on identifying and rescuing victims of child sex trafficking as well as services that are available to victims. State’s Attorney Glasgow will provide lunch to everyone who attends.

The summit is free. However, participants must register online in advance at willcountycac.org. Deadline to register is Aug. 24. For additional information, call (815) 723-1630.

July 24

State’s Attorney Glasgow to present Glen Marcum Award to Pipefitters Local 597

JOLIET – The organizers for Men Who Cook, hit the road this year looking for a larger space to accommodate the expanding number of chefs and diners who race to what has become Will County’s most popular community event.

The fundraiser, which benefits the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, is shifting gears and moving to the sprawling infield at Chicagoland Speedway from 6-9 p.m., Sept. 22. The move will give hungry guests more elbow room to sample the fine cuisine – appetizers, side dishes, entrees, and desserts – prepared and served by more than 50 local amateur cooks.

“I thought it would be impossible for Men Who Cook to outgrow the expansive and friendly accommodations we called home at the Pipefitters Training Center for the past seven years,” said State’s Attorney James Glasgow, who chairs the center’s board of directors. “It’s a testament to the popularity of the event that this is the third facility we’ve outgrown. Last year the dining area was on the verge of being overcrowded by guests and we outstripped our allotted parking.”

The State’s Attorney continued: “The popularity of this event presented us with a bittersweet dilemma because the Pipefitters provided such a great venue as well as their team of dedicated apprentices who helped this fundraiser run smoothly. It was truly hard to even begin thinking of holding Men Who Cook anywhere else.”

The State’s Attorney will present the Glen Marcum Selfless Dedication To Community Service Award to Pipefitters Local 597 for supporting Men Who Cook. The honor, which is named after the late Glen Marcum, a former Joliet Park Board president and a devoted community volunteer, is presented each year to individuals or groups demonstrating selfless support for the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

Moving to Chicagoland Speedway will resolve the space crunch and provide new opportunities in a unique setting. There will be endless parking at the Speedway as well as additional space on the infield to accommodate more cooks and guests.

This year, organizers also are coordinating a Professional/Commercial Chef division for those who work at restaurants or other eating establishments.

Guests will have photo opportunities with a NASCAR race car in Victory Lane. And they can sample all the great food in an outdoor setting with a view of the illuminated grandstand, providing an early fall, alfresco dining atmosphere in which to relax and socialize.

Men Who Cook is a favorite of all ages and provides critical financial support for the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, which provides hope, healing, and justice for sexually abused children. With more than 1,100 attendees last year, Men Who Cook is widely recognized as the largest and most popular, single-day fundraising event in Will County.

This fun and casual cook-off competition features more than 50 local guys – leaders in business, construction, accounting/finance, law enforcement, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, government, education, and media – serving samples of their favorite dishes for public judging. 

State’s Attorney Glasgow and the Children’s Advocacy Center also are proud that CITGO Refinery will be a Presenting Sponsor for the 2018 Men Who Cook. CITGO recently made a $10,000 contribution to the fundraiser. Sponsorship opportunities are available at the www.menwhocook.info.

State’s Attorney Glasgow established the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to guarantee successful investigations of child sexual abuse cases. The center’s professionally trained and compassionate 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 thousands of predators. Local police called the center “a Godsend” when it was formed more than 20 years ago. 

The cost for “Men Who Cook” is $40 per person; $75 per couple. The price is $10 for children between 6 and 12; kids 5 and under can attend for free. And of course, there’s no need to dress up for this casual, fun and affordable event.

Tickets for “Men Who Cook” are available online at www.menwhocook.info or they can be purchased at the door. For additional information, call the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center at (815) 774-4565. Or visit on the Web at www.menwhocook.info or on Facebook at facebook.com/willcountycac.

July 17

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney Glasgow announces that a Plainfield man who sexually abused two young children over a period of 10 years received 12 consecutive life sentences for his crimes.

A jury in March found David B. Libby, 52, guilty of 12 counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child. The defendant was sentenced by Circuit Judge Sarah Jones on Thursday. Under Illinois law, a conviction on each Class X Felony carries a mandatory life sentence, and the sentences must run consecutively. 

Libby, who had unrestricted access to the children, began sexually assaulting the children when they were young. The assaults began in 2004 and continued through 2014. The sexual abuse came to light when an alert teacher contacted the school social worker after one of the children made a troubling comment on a written test. The student eventually reported the abuse to the social worker, who contacted Plainfield Police.

“David Libby is a vile monster who engaged in the repeated and horrific sexual abuse of two children from a time when they were very young and impressionable,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “It took tremendous courage for them to come forward and testify against this vile and unrepentant predator. They helped police and prosecutors place him behind bars where he will never harm another child and where he will certainly draw his final breath.”

Libby admitted to sexually assaulting the children when he was interviewed by police.

The State’s Attorney noted it was a team effort that took Libby off the streets. He credited Plainfield Police for conducting a first-rate investigation and his prosecutors, Mary Fillipitch and Kelly Tebo, for their skilled trial work that secured the conviction and life sentence.

He also applauded the staff at the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, including forensic interviewer Jaclyn Lundquist, for obtaining recorded statements from the two children that sealed the defendant’s fate, as well as the director of his Victim Witness Services Office, Nichole Pasteris, who guided these children through a lengthy and difficult court process.

And he thanked Cheri Johnson, who supervises the handling of his team of therapy dogs, Kiwi, Jackson, and Mally. The dogs comforted the children at each step in the court proceedings.