Lake and McHenry County Scanner

More charges filed against Zion man accused of committing at least 60 burglaries in Illinois and Wisconsin

Posted: 05 May 2022 05:10 PM PDT

Kwantrell C. Williams, 24, of Zion, (inset) is charged with burglarizing numerous businesses in the Crystal Lake area, including the Caliber Collision shop, 5702 South Route 31 in unincorporated Crystal Lake. | Background Photo: Google Street View

Additional charges have been filed against a Zion man, who police say committed approximately 60 burglaries in Illinois and Wisconsin, during a “massive crime spree” dating back to last summer.

Kwantrell C. Williams, 24, of the 2300 block of Joppa Avenue in Zion, was charged in early April with six counts of burglary, five counts of possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts of theft between $10,000 and $100,000, two counts of theft between $500 and $10,000, criminal damage to property over $10,000, two counts of criminal damage to property between $500 and $10,000, five counts of possession of burglary tools, five counts of unauthorized possession of license plates, three counts of criminal damage to property under $500, theft under $500, and aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleged that Williams burglarized the Firestone Complete Auto Care, 6325 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, after damaging a glass window on January 24.

Williams allegedly stole automotive diagnostic computers from the business.

Minutes later, Williams burglarized the Swift Wash, 161 Liberty Road in Crystal Lake, after breaking a glass door, the complaint said.

Cash and an iPod were stolen in the burglary.

10 minutes later, Williams burglarized the Discount Muffler and Brake, 80 East Berkshire Drive in Crystal Lake, by smashing the glass windows, according to the complaint. An automotive battery charger was stolen.

Less than 20 minutes after that, Williams allegedly burglarized the BMO Harris bank, 5545 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, by smashing the glass windows, causing over $10,000 in damage.

Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Williams after the burglaries but he fled from them, the complaint said.

The complaint said that Williams came back one week later — on January 31 — and again burglarized the same Firestone Auto Care business by damaging a glass window.

During several of the burglaries, police said that Williams possessed a stolen 2015 Honda Accord.

New charges filed against Williams on Monday, in cases investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, allege that Williams burglarized or attempted to burglarize three additional businesses on January 31.

The businesses include Frontline Automotive, 1701 West Route 120 in unincorporated McHenry; Caliber Collision, 5702 South Route 31 in unincorporated Crystal Lake; and the Mobil gas station, 4407 High Point in unincorporated McHenry.

From those burglaries, prosecutors charged Williams with three counts of burglary, three counts of possession of burglary tools and three counts of criminal damage to property.

On February 24, Williams allegedly burglarized the Little House of Cars, 805 East Terra Cotta Avenue in Crystal Lake, by breaking a glass window, according to a criminal complaint.

Williams was accused of stealing a Canon camera, vehicle key fobs and equipment batteries from Little House of Cars.

He also allegedly stole a 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe and a 2015 Audi A4 from the business.

Williams was arrested in early March on separate charges for a burglary in June 2020 and has been held in the McHenry County Jail since his arrest.

Zion Police Department Lt. Paul Kehrli previously told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that Williams was behind approximately 60 burglaries throughout five counties in Illinois and Wisconsin, including Lake, McHenry, Cook, DuPage, Kenosha and Racine.

In Lake County, the burglaries occurred in multiple different towns, including Zion, Grayslake, Lake Villa and Gurnee.

Williams, who allegedly began committing the crime spree in the summer of 2021, would typically case the businesses before going back at night to burglarize them, Kehrli said.

Williams would steal vehicles during the burglaries and drive them to a storage facility before later dumping them, Kehrli said.

Kehrli also said that Williams’ half-brother served as a getaway driver at times and occasionally participated in some of the burglaries.

Williams evaded arrest numerous times before being arrested in February in Waukegan.

Kehrli said that Williams committed a “massive crime spree” and said that it could be screened for federal charges by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

He remains held in the McHenry County Jail on a $190,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on May 13.

Feds say Huntley restaurant intimidated, retaliated against workers during wage investigation

Posted: 05 May 2022 04:46 PM PDT

Federal labor officials filed a lawsuit against the owners of Papa G’s, 10502 Route 47 in Huntley, alleging they intimidated and retaliated against their employees during a wage investigation. | Photo: Google Street View

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against Papa G’s restaurant in Huntley after the owners allegedly intimidated and retaliated against their employees during a wage investigation.

The United States Department of Labor alleges Papa G’s, located at 10502 Route 47 in Huntley, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938.

Federal officials conducted an investigation into defendants Rick Tsakalios and Steve Tsakalios, the owners of Papa G’s, from February 2019 to January 2022.

The investigation reviewed the restaurant’s employment and pay practices, a civil complaint filed on Monday said.

Federal officials allege the Tsakalios repeatedly failed to pay their employees one and a half times their regular wages for working more than 40 hours per week.

The owners also allegedly failed to maintain accurate records of their employees’ work hours for the majority of the investigation period and even omitted some employees from time records, the complaint said.

The Tsakalios knew they were required to pay their employees at one and a half times their regular wages for hours worked overtime because they paid for overtime hours in cash at their regular rates separate from check payments for non-overtime hours worked, the labor department alleged.

The defendants “knew or showed reckless disregard for whether the FLSA prohibited their conduct” when they maintained a duplicate set of business records and first produced a set of records that deliberately omitted overtime hours their employees worked, the complaint added.

The owners later produced a set of informal records which recorded actual hours worked between June 2020 and December 2020, and they produced a second set of informal records pursuant to a warrant that showed actual hours worked between January 2021 and June 2021.

The complaint said the defendants also violated and have continued to violate the FLSA by retaliating against and intimidating their employees who were communicating with the labor department.

The defendants allegedly encouraged employees not to talk with federal officials, walked into the area where confidential employee interviews were taking place and threatened workers “by stating if a lawsuit was brought, they would receive nothing and something bad might happen to them,” the complaint added.

In a statement, the labor department said the Tsakalios “created a chilling effect on worker cooperation.”

Federal officials are asking the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to prevent the owners from interfering with the federal investigation and are also seeking to have Papa G’s pay nearly $60,000 in back wages and an equal amount of liquidated damages to employees.

“Threatening or intimidating employees to prevent their cooperation with U.S. Department of Labor investigators is illegal,” Christine Heri, Regional Solicitor at the U.S. Department of Labor, said.

“Doing so discourages workers from asserting their rights and interferes with effective enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Our request for a temporary restraining order in this matter shows the department will do everything in its power to protect workers' rights,” Heri added.

15 years in prison for man convicted in stabbing attack that left 3 injured in Crystal Lake

Posted: 05 May 2022 02:14 PM PDT

Charles A. Hightower, 40, of Rockton.

A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempted murder in a stabbing attack that left two victims critically wounded and a third injured in Crystal Lake.

Charles A. Hightower, 40, of the 1900 block of Wyndham Lane in Rockton, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, a Class X felony, and three counts of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, Class 2 and 3 felonies.

The Crystal Lake Fire/Rescue Department and Crystal Lake Police Department responded on the evening of October 24, 2019, to the 100 block of Edgewood Avenue for a report of three people stabbed.

Police officers found two men with stab wounds to the abdomen and a third man with minor lacerations to his arm, Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Thomas Kotlowski said at the time.

Paramedics transported the two men with stab wounds to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital. The third man was released from medical care at the scene.

One of the men hospitalized was later flown by helicopter to another hospital for additional treatment. Both of the men were in critical condition.

The offender, identified as Hightower, fled the scene before police arrived.

Responding officers quickly located the man and took him into custody without incident, Kotlowski said.

Police called it an “isolated incident” related to a domestic issue.

Hightower has been free on bond since November 2019 when he posted 10% of a $350,000 bond days after his arrest.

Hightower entered into a negotiated plea deal on Thursday with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Court records show Hightower pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony, in exchange for prosecutors dismissing his less serious battery charges.

McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt approved the plea deal and sentenced the man to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on the first count and nine years on the second count.

The sentences will be served one after another for a total of 15 years in prison. The sentence will be required to be served at 85% in accordance with Illinois truth-in-sentencing guidelines.

Hightower was taken into the custody of the McHenry County Jail on Thursday.

Waukegan among big Illinois cities set to receive funding for police co-responder program

Posted: 05 May 2022 12:11 PM PDT

File Photo – Waukegan Police | Photo: Waukegan Police Department

(The Center Square) – A pilot program could start soon that will require social workers and police officers in Waukegan and other Illinois cities to work together when responding to a 911 call.

House Bill 4736 creates the Co-Responders Pilot Program to have police in certain parts of the state begin a joint effort with multiple social service agencies.

Peoria, Springfield, East St. Louis and Waukegan will be participating in the pilot program.

The measure passed the legislature last month but has yet to be sent to the governor.

“The general idea is for law enforcement agencies to collaborate with local social service agencies to respond together to certain mental health or domestic cases,” Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Director Ed Wojcicki said.

The social workers in the program will attend calls alongside a police officer with the hopes that the social worker will be able to spot mental health-related issues and determine if the person is having a mental health crisis.

Wojcicki said the pilot program will provide more options for police officers and for someone who may be dealing with mental health issues.

“It’s about bringing a sort of humane type of assistance to the people they see on the street,” Wojcicki said.

“A lot of times when police go to a scene and someone needs to be taken somewhere, really the only option they have is the hospital or jail,” he said.

With the pilot program, those individuals can now be taken to a mental health facility to better serve their needs.

The Co-Responders Pilot Program does not require any extra certifications for the social workers or officers, however, Wojcicki said both parties will need training on how to handle these situations.

“It will require training for everybody, for the police, for social workers, and the people of these communities,” Wojcicki said.

“Police have mental health first aid that they will need to take. They also have crisis intervention training so the police will be getting more training on how to respond to those people,” Wojcicki said.

The state’s budget the governor approved last month allocates $10 million of taxpayer funds for the implementation of the pilot program. The fiscal year begins July 1.

The test cities part of the program will have up to six months to establish programs within their communities.

Lawsuit filed against Waukegan gun range after employee discharged gun, ‘severely injuring’ patron

Posted: 05 May 2022 10:24 AM PDT

Two people were shot after an accidental discharge of a firearm at Caliber Tactical Gun Range, 3059 Washington Street in Waukegan, on April 1, 2022. | Photo: Google Street View

A lawsuit has been filed against a gun range in Waukegan after an employee discharged a gun, shooting himself and a 19-year-old patron, causing the teen to suffer a “severe” hand injury.

The incident happened around 2:15 p.m. on April 1 at Caliber Tactical Gun Range, 3059 Washington Street in Waukegan.

Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip said at the time that officers received a call for two people who were shot inside the building during an accidental discharge incident.

A male employee, who is from McHenry and in his 50s, was sitting at a table just outside of the firing range lanes.

 

The employee accidentally discharged his pistol, Florip said.

The bullet went through his thigh, ricocheted off the floor and struck the wrist of an adult male teenager from Libertyville, who was seated, Florip said.

Two ambulances were called to the scene and both men were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Bullet fragments are seen on an x-ray lodged into the hand of 19-year-old Jack Keating after an accidental shooting at Caliber Tactical Gun Range, 3059 Washington Street in Waukegan, on April 1. | Provided Photo

Officers processed the scene and the discharged firearm and spent shell casing were collected for evidence.

Attorney J. Matthew Dudley told Lake and McHenry County Scanner this week that a lawsuit was filed on Monday against Caliber Tactical Gun Range.

His client, 19-year-old Jack Keating, was severely injured due to the employee’s “reckless use of a handgun,” Dudley said.

Keating received surgical care from a hand specialist at Advocate Condell and has a long road to recovery.

“He will have a long road to recovery, but he is very motivated to get back as much use of his hand as is possible,” Dudley said.

The lawsuit, which seeks an unspecified judgment of more than $50,000, said that the employee involved handled a loaded firearm while not in the shooting area, a violation of company policy.

The suit also said the employee failed to properly holster or secure the firearm.

A pretrial conference has been scheduled for August 16 in Lake County Circuit Court.

Judge sentences McHenry man to 180 days in jail after he pleads guilty to sexually abusing child

Posted: 05 May 2022 08:32 AM PDT

Leoncio Renteria-Castilla, 55, of McHenry.

A McHenry man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a child was sentenced Wednesday to 180 days in jail and released from custody with credit for time served.

Leoncio Renteria-Castilla, 55, of the 3800 block of Waukegan Road in McHenry, was indicted last July on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, a Class 2 felony.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleged that Renteria-Castilla committed an act of sexual penetration with a child younger than 13 years old in July 2018.

Court documents show that Renteria-Castilla is a relative of the victim.

The incident was investigated by the Crystal Lake Police Department.

Renteria-Castilla entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office this week, court records show.

Renteria-Castilla pleaded guilty to an amended charge of criminal sexual abuse, a Class 4 felony, in exchange for prosecutors dismissing both of his more serious charges, one of which is a Class X felony.

McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge approved the plea deal and on Wednesday sentenced the man to 180 days in the county jail.

Renteria-Castilla was released Wednesday afternoon from the McHenry County Jail because he received credit for time already served awaiting his case.

Renteria-Castilla will also serve two years of felony probation and be required to pay $3,560 in court fines and fees.

Coppedge also certified Renteria-Castilla as a sex offender and ordered him to comply with sex offender registration.

Renteria-Castilla will also be required to undergo a sex offender evaluation and follow recommended treatment, Coppedge said.

Multiple students to be disciplined after swastika poster found in restroom at Grayslake North High School

Posted: 04 May 2022 05:22 PM PDT

A poster with the Nazi flag was placed by a student in a Grayslake North High School bathroom Tuesday afternoon. | Photo: StopAntisemitism via Twitter

Several students are being disciplined after officials say a poster with the Nazi flag was hung up in a restroom at Grayslake North High School Tuesday.

Grayslake North High School Principal James Roscoe sent an email to students and families in Grayslake School District 127 about the incident.

Roscoe said that the school was made aware of a social media post that “directly contradicts the values of Grayslake North.”

The post showed a swastika poster in a Grayslake North High School bathroom, Roscoe said.

The post was edited to include other messaging in various reposts of the photo.

Roscoe said an investigation showed that the swastika poster was stolen from a 9th grade World History classroom by a student in the class.

The poster was then used to “fashion a highly offensive public display in a bathroom,” he said.

A student who came upon the poster immediately reported it and it was taken down within 10 minutes of being hung in the restroom.

The non-profit organization StopAntisemitism said on Twitter that the display was “horrifying” and called on Grayslake North High School to complete a “full investigation” into the incident.

In an update Wednesday afternoon, the school said they were able to identify the students involved.

The individual families were contacted and students will face disciplinary action in accordance with District 127 school policy, Roscoe said.

“This act is deeply concerning and does not represent the values of Grayslake North High School or District 127. The district is committed to ensuring all students feel safe and we stand strongly behind the statement that hate speech does not belong in our school or community,” Roscoe said.

He said that the school was deeply saddened by the event and that teachers will use it as a teachable moment.

“The actions from yesterday are a reminder that we must also recommit to the values that make Grayslake North an inclusive, welcoming, and caring place,” Roscoe said.

Police investigating after threat of violence sent to students’ phones at Harvard High School

Posted: 04 May 2022 02:54 PM PDT

File Photo | Harvard High School

Police say they are investigating after a photograph threatening violence at Harvard High School was sent to students’ phones on Wednesday.

The Harvard Police Department was notified around 1:23 p.m. Wednesday about a threat at Harvard High School, 1103 North Jefferson Street in Harvard.

Harvard Deputy Police Chief Tyson Bauman said an unknown person or persons used Apple AirDrop to send a photograph to the phones of students at the school.

The photograph conveyed a threat that violence would occur on Thursday at the school, Bauman said.

The police department is working in conjunction with Harvard Community Unit School District 50 officials.

The Harvard Police Department is actively investigating the origin of the threat and attempting to identify the person or person who sent it, Bauman said.

There will be an increased police presence before, during and after school hours.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Harvard Police Department at 815-943-4431.

Lake County Sheriff Canine Dax helps locate injured man who fled from rollover crash in Park City

Posted: 04 May 2022 01:52 PM PDT

Lake County Sheriff Canine Dax | Provided Photo

Lake County Sheriff Canine Dax on Sunday helped track down an injured man who fled on foot from a high-speed rollover crash in Park City.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a canine request from the Lake Forest Police Department around 6:30 a.m. Sunday.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a crash occurred near Route 41 and Old Skokie Road in Park City.

The vehicle had been traveling at a high rate of speed before losing control and rolling over multiple times.

Officers on the scene believe the driver fled from the scene following the crash, Covelli said.

Officers were concerned because the driver likely sustained injuries in the crash.

Deputy John Forlenza and canine Dax arrived and began an immediate track.

Dax tracked a short distance through a wooded area and found the driver hiding in an open field, Covelli said.

The driver was injured and also appeared intoxicated but was able to walk back to the scene.

The driver was evaluated by paramedics and turned over to Lake Forest police officers.

It is not believed that charges have been filed against the man yet.

$500,000 bond for man who was shot by McHenry County sheriff’s deputies after firing rifle at them

Posted: 04 May 2022 11:51 AM PDT

Randall B. Little, 58, of Harvard.

Police on Tuesday arrested a man wanted for attempted murder of a police officer after he allegedly shot at a sheriff’s deputy with a rifle moments before deputies shot him near Harvard last month.

Randall B. Little, 58, of the 19900 block of Streit Road in Harvard, was charged on April 27 with armed violence, aggravated intimidation of a peace officer, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, intimidation, threatening a public official, unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of aggravated assault and unauthorized possession of cannabis sativa plants.

He was additionally charged on Tuesday with attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony.

Little was allegedly armed with a .300 caliber blackout short barrel rifle on April 1, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court.

Little pointed the rifle at a McHenry County sheriff’s deputy and threatened to kill her if she did not leave his property, the complaint said.

Court documents initially said Little only pointed the gun at the deputy, but on Tuesday prosecutors approved an attempted murder charge against the man and investigators said in court documents that he did discharge the firearm.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office had responded to Little’s residence in the 19900 block of Streit Road in unincorporated Harvard around 8 p.m. that evening after receiving a call to check on the wellbeing of a subject.

The sheriff’s office said the “armed confrontation” resulted in deputies discharging their firearms, striking the man.

No deputies were injured during the incident.

Lifesaving measures were given to the man and he was transported by the Harvard Fire Protection District to Mercyhealth Hospital in Harvard, the sheriff’s office said.

He was then flown to Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford where he was in critical condition.

The McHenry County Major Investigation Assistance Team (MIAT) was requested to conduct an investigation into the incident.

Investigators also found Little in possession of more than 20 cannabis sativa plants, court documents show.

A warrant was issued on April 27 after prosecutors approved nearly a dozen felony charges against the man.

McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Byrnes said the sheriff’s office took Little into custody on Tuesday.

Little was arrested at a rehabilitation hospital in Rockford and transported to the McHenry County Jail.

McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis ordered Little held on a $500,000 bond. He would need to post $50,000 cash in order to be released.

No one in custody after 15-year-old boy shot at Waukegan apartment complex

Posted: 04 May 2022 09:30 AM PDT

A shooting at the Barwell Manor Homes complex in the 500 block of South Genesee Street in Waukegan left a juvenile injured Monday afternoon. | Photo: Google Street View

A 15-year-old boy was transported to the hospital after he was shot by a suspect or suspects who were in a stolen vehicle in Waukegan, police said.

The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department responded around 3:05 p.m. Monday to the Barwell Manor Homes in the 500 block of South Genesee Street for a report of a shooting.

Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that one person was shot in the hand.

The victim was a 15-year-old boy who is a Waukegan resident.

Paramedics transported him to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan with non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect vehicle was a red GMC Terrain, which had been stolen out of Lake Zurich, Florip said.

Florip said the suspect or suspects involved fled from the GMC after abandoning it blocks away from the shooting.

No suspect information was available and the incident remains under investigation by the Waukegan Police Department.

School investigating after swastika poster appears in restroom at Grayslake North High School

Posted: 04 May 2022 08:02 AM PDT

A swastika poster was placed by a student in a Grayslake North High School bathroom Tuesday afternoon, school officials said. | Photo: StopAntisemitism via Twitter

School officials say they are investigating after a student hung up a swastika poster in a restroom at Grayslake North High School Tuesday afternoon.

Grayslake North High School Principal James Roscoe sent an email to students and families in Grayslake School District 127.

Roscoe said that the school was made aware of a social media post that “directly contradicts the values of Grayslake North.”

The post showed a swastika poster in a Grayslake North High School bathroom, Roscoe said.

The post was edited to include other messaging in various reposts of the photo.

Roscoe said an investigation showed that the swastika poster was stolen from a World History project by a student in the class.

The poster was then used to “fashion a highly offensive public display in a bathroom,” he said.

A student who came upon the poster immediately reported it and it was taken down within 10 minutes of being hung in the restroom.

“Please know that we are taking this very seriously and are addressing all involved,” Roscoe said in the email.

The non-profit organization StopAntisemitism said on Twitter that the display was “horrifying” and called on Grayslake North High School to complete a “full investigation” into the incident.