November 22, 2019

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) has been selected to receive a $450,000 federal Victim of Crime Assistance (VOCA) grant. This money will be used to help fund the life-changing services the CAC provides, including forensic interviews, victim and family advocacy, and trauma-focused therapy for children who have endured severe physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, neglect, and exposure to violence. The grant is effective for FY 2020.

“The services the Children’s Advocacy Center provides are truly life restoring for the child sexual abuse victims who walk through our doors,” Glasgow said. “These children are emotionally scarred, and without this specialized, compassionate intervention their lives will be destroyed. That is why I was so passionate in establishing the CAC in 1995. Since then, more than 9,000 children and their non-offending family members have received supportive services. Last year alone, the CAC helped more than 660 children from throughout Will County and the numbers are growing each year. The compassionate and caring staff at the CAC helps each of these young abuse victims on their path to a better life.”

VOCA funding allows CACs and other victim service organizations to receive money paid as penalties by those convicted of federal crimes, which goes into an account called the Crime Victims Fund, or CVF. Congress then gives this money to states which allocate the money to organizations that serve crime victims.

“The award of this highly competitive grant recognizes the outstanding services provided by Will County’s CAC,” Glasgow said. “The Illinois legislature has declared that our most precious resource is our children, and at the CAC we truly ‘CHERISH ALL CHILDREN.’ This grant will allow the Children’s Advocacy Center to continue responding to the severe emotional, psychological and physical needs of the many child victims served each year, as well as to continue maintaining our high success rate in the prosecution of child predators who sexually abuse youngsters. We must stop sexual predators dead in their tracks so they can never do this again.”

In addition to the CAC’s highly compassionate counseling services, the multidisciplinary team plays an indispensable role in the prosecution of child predators who sexually abuse vulnerable minors. When an outcry of child sexual assault is received by local police, no further interrogation is conducted and an interview is scheduled with the CAC. After a child is brought to the CAC, a trained forensic interviewer–working in conjunction with a police investigator from a local jurisdiction, specialized sex crime prosecutors from the Will County State’s Attorney’s office, a caseworker from the Department of Children and Family Services, and a CAC counselor–conducts a neutral, non-suggestive victim sensitive interview of the child.

“Without the CAC, the child may end up having to tell the worst story of their life over and over again, to police, medical professionals, attorneys, therapists, investigators, judges, and others. This invariably results in inconsistent statements, which are the death knell for a criminal prosecution,” Glasgow said. “At the CAC, the child tells their story only once, to a trained interviewer who is witnessed by the members of the multidisciplinary team. The trained interviewer knows the proper questions to ask in a way that does not re-traumatize the victim or suggest an answer, which guarantees a thorough and truthful statement.”

Just last month, this approach resulted in two significant prison sentences in Will County child sexual assault cases: a 118-year prison sentence for Chandel Dirkans of Joliet who savagely engaged in multiple aggravated criminal sexual assaults against the minor stepdaughter of his sister in the home in which they both resided; and an 84-year prison sentence against Anthony Creasy of Joliet for repeated acts of predatory sexual assault of his girlfriend’s daughter in the child’s home over a period of several years beginning when she was approximately 8 years old.

According to Glasgow, “[t]hese convictions were the result of the work of the entire multidisciplinary team, culminating with the courtroom prosecution of these child predators by the highly skilled sex crimes prosecutors in the Will County State’s Attorney’s office.”

October 28, 2019

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow has announced that Chandel Dirkans, 37, was sentenced today by Circuit Judge David Carlson to 118 years in prison for multiple criminal sexual assaults against a Joliet teenager in 2015. Dirkans was found guilty in August 2019 on 17 counts, including 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, 5 counts of criminal sexual assault, 1 count of aggravated unlawful restraint, and 1 count of aggravated domestic battery against the female juvenile. He also previously pled guilty to one count of “armed habitual criminal.” The victim was 16 at the time, and the acts occurred inside the home in which they both resided on the 600 block of Grant Street.

“This young woman lived through a horrendous nightmare in her own home when Dirkans brutally and repeatedly sexually assaulted her,” Glasgow said. “The sentence handed down today drives a stake straight through the heart of the beast. This savage predator will never have the opportunity to brutalize another young woman.”

Dirkans, the brother of the victim’s stepmother, sexually assaulted the teenager five times over a nearly three-hour period on November 5, 2015, while other family members were at work. The victim testified that Dirkans, whose neck bears a “P*ssy Monster” tattoo with a picture of a mouth, lips and tongue, placed her in a chokehold and dragged her into an upstairs bedroom  at which time she lost consciousness. After she regained consciousness, Dirkans said to her, “You’re either going to let me F*** you, or I’m going to kill you.” He then proceeded to sexually assault her while wielding a black-handled knife.

The victim further testified that Dirkans led her downstairs to the kitchen, where he grabbed a red-handled knife and plastic wrap and sexually assaulted her twice, utilizing the plastic wrap as a condom. Dirkans then led the victim to the basement where his bedroom was located, and twice sexually assaulted her.

Following the assaults, Dirkans forced the victim into a vehicle and drove her around. He drove her back to the residence and threatened that he could kill her if he wanted to as they sat parked in the driveway. He eventually released her from the vehicle. Dirkans surrendered to police after a multiple-hours standoff during which he had barricaded himself in the home. Judge Carlson found Dirkans guilty on all counts presented at the four-day bench trial.

At the time of the assaults, Dirkans was on parole for a 2009 conviction for residential burglary. He also had previous convictions for unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, robbery and burglary.

Glasgow credited the entire team for the result in this case: prosecutors Kelly Tebo, Thomas Slazyk, and Elizabeth Domagalla; the entire Joliet Police Department with special thanks to John Ross and Shawn Filipiak; victim witness advocate Nichole Pasteris; and Jackie Lundquist, who conducted the victim sensitive interview at the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

October 11, 2019

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that 38-year-old Dustin Greiner of Park Forest has been sentenced by Circuit Judge David Carlson to seven years in prison for the death of a 16-year-old Beecher girl killed in a fatal car accident caused by Greiner while driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

The death occurred following an accident in which the vehicle Greiner was driving struck the back of the Ford Ranger in which the victim had been a passenger. The Ranger was pushed into oncoming traffic by Greiner’s vehicle and struck by a Dodge Ram on the passenger side where the 16-year-old girl was seated. A urine test following the deadly accident revealed the presence of cocaine in Greiner’s system.

Although Greiner’s license was suspended during the court proceedings, it was discovered that he drove on a suspended licensed after an initial sentencing hearing September 26.

“Through his arrogance and abject disregard for the court’s authority by driving on a suspended license after already killing a young woman by operating a vehicle with cocaine in his system, Greiner sealed his own fate,” Glasgow said. “Greiner’s selfish decision to use drugs and take the wheel of a vehicle stole the life of a young girl, shattered the lives of her parents, and caused devastating psychological damage to the victim’s boyfriend who was in the vehicle when she suffered her fatal injuries. Although Greiner’s prison sentence can never make up for the precious life that was taken, it can send a message that our office prosecutes impaired driving and disregard for our system of justice to the fullest extent of the law.”

Glasgow credited Assistant State’s Attorney Tom Slazyk who prosecuted the case, and Danette Pasdertz for her dedication in working with the victims.

August 30, 2019

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow has announced that a judge today found Chandel Dirkans, 37, guilty of multiple criminal sexual assaults against a Joliet teenager in 2015. Circuit Court Judge David Carlson found Dirkans guilty on all 17 counts, including 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, 5 counts of criminal sexual assault, 1 count of aggravated unlawful restraint, and 1 count of aggravated domestic battery against the female juvenile, who was 16 at the time, inside the home in which they both resided on the 600 block of Grant Street.

The decision followed a four-day bench trial. Dirkans, the brother of the victim’s stepmother, sexually assaulted the teenager five times over a nearly three-hour period on November 5, 2015, while other family members were at work. The victim testified that Dirkans placed her in a chokehold and dragged her into an upstairs bedroom, at which time she lost consciousness. After she regained consciousness, Dirkans said to her, “You’re either going to let me F*** you, or I’m going to kill you.” He then proceeded to sexually assault her while wielding a black-handled knife.

The victim further testified that Dirkans led her downstairs to the kitchen, where he grabbed a red-handled knife and plastic wrap and sexually assaulted her twice, utilizing the plastic wrap as a condom. Dirkans then led the victim to the basement where his bedroom was located, and twice sexually assaulted her.

Following the assaults, Dirkans forced the victim into a vehicle and drove her around. He drove her back to the residence and talked about killing her as they sat parked in the driveway. He eventually released her from the vehicle. Dirkans surrendered to police after a multiple-hours standoff during which he had barricaded himself in the home.

“There is a special place in Hell reserved for Chandel Dirkans for brutally sexually assaulting and terrorizing a member of his own family within the walls of her own home, which should be a place of safety and comfort,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow. “This demonic assault violated every tenet of human decency when he repeatedly brutalized this young teenage girl on every level of her home. Just as this young woman must live with the effects of his cruel and inhuman conduct for the rest of her life, Dirkans should spend his days behind the cold steel bars of a prison cell for his barbaric and savage conduct.”

At the time of the assaults, Dirkans was on parole for a 2009 conviction for residential burglary. He also had previous convictions for unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, robbery and burglary.

Dirkans is eligible for up to 140 years in prison. The sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Glasgow credited prosecutors Kelly Tebo, Thomas Slazyk, and Elizabeth Domagalla for their hard work and dedication in obtaining the ruling in this case.

June 27, 2019

Joliet – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow has announced that 16 individuals from throughout Will County graduated from the Will County Drug Court in a ceremony at the Jacob Henry Mansion in Joliet, bringing to 481 the number of people who have graduated the Drug Court program. The individuals who participated in the ceremony hail from the communities of Joliet, Bolingbrook, Homer Glen, Romeoville, New Lenox, Plainfield, Mokena, and Shorewood.

“The Will County Problem Solving Courts are a model for the nation,” Glasgow stated. “The journey to recovery is a challenging one, but with the support of the community those battling addictions can take control of their lives, remove themselves from the cycle of addiction, and return to their communities as productive members of society. Our holistic approach keeps non-violent offenders out of state prison and helps them on their path to reentry into the community.”

In Drug Court, prosecutors and defense attorneys work with the judge and treatment providers 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. Circuit

Court Judge Sarah-Marie Jones, who presides over the Drug Court docket, participated in the ceremony.

State’s Attorney James Glasgow spearheaded the creation of the Drug Court – Will County’s first Problem Solving Court – in the late 1990s, when he wrote the grant leading to its formation. The Drug Court’s success led him to initiate the formation of the Will County Veterans Court. He also pushed for the creation of a Mental Health Court, as well as a Redeploy Illinois Court to steer qualifying repeat offenders away from criminal activities.

Glasgow also has established three residential facilities to further help Problem Solving Court participants on the path to reentry. The Miller Taylor House and Julie Ann House provide temporary housing and the Connor Kelly Residence, which officially opened its doors June 25, expands upon this vision by providing longer-term transitional housing.