Lake and McHenry County Scanner |
- State’s attorney launches ‘violence interrupters’ to target gun violence in Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion
- Lake County Sheriff Canine Boomer tracks down woman who stole from convenience store in Beach Park
- North Chicago man killed after being ejected from vehicle during rollover crash in Waukegan
- Police say they have identified subject who made shooting threat towards North Chicago High School
- Coffee shop temporarily closed after fire causes smoke damage to business in Crystal Lake
- House deemed uninhabitable after fire causes $350,000 in damage in Lake in the Hills
- Police arrest Waukegan man allegedly involved in fake kidnapping report in Antioch
- 77-year-old man killed after two-vehicle crash near McHenry
- Waukegan police seek public’s help in locating woman who has been missing for four months
- Police seek help in identifying subject who made shooting threat towards North Chicago High School
- Health officials say first probable case of monkeypox virus identified in Illinois
- Sheriff says Buffalo Grove man had dozens of child pornography videos in his possession
- Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 Dax helps apprehend 9 fleeing suspects within 24 hours in Lake County
- Judge dismisses mother of AJ Freund’s post-conviction petition, says it has no merit
- ‘Brutal and heinous’: Deerfield man faces life in prison after pleading guilty to holding wife hostage before killing her
- Judge sentences man to more than 3 years in prison for failed theft attempt at Woodstock gas station
- No bond for gunman charged with shooting 2 men in the head, killing one, at Poppy’s restaurant in Waukegan
- Section of Monaville Road in Lake Villa to reopen next week after emergency repairs completed
- Man in his 20s seriously injured after being shot behind business in Waukegan
| Posted: 03 Jun 2022 05:01 PM PDT   The Lake County state’s attorney announced a new initiative that aims to reduce gun violence in the Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion areas by hiring at least 10 “violence interrupters” that will provide services to the three Lake County communities. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, along with other local and state officials, announced the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI) team at a press conference in Waukegan Friday morning. “This initiative is one part of our county’s plan to partner with the community and law enforcement and to address the root causes of gun violence and to implement proven short term and long term strategies to immediately interrupt the cycles of gun violence,” Rinehart said. Rinehart was joined by many state and local officials like Congressman Brad Schneider, State Representative Rita Mayfield, Senator Adriane Johnson, Illinois Department of Human Services Office of Firearm Violence Prevention Assistant Secretary Chris Patterson and Chair of GVPI Implementation Sara Knizhnik. The program will provide services, like mental health counseling and job training, to the most at-risk individuals “to work, to mentor, to guide and to teach,” Rinehart said, adding that services will be taken to these individuals “wherever they are.” Lake County has seen an unprecedented level of increased gun violence since 2017, with 21 gun-related homicides and 28 suicides by firearm in 2021, the highest ever recorded in both categories for the county. Rinehart said gun violence is “becoming a tool to settle social media disputes or to retaliate for past shootings.” The Lake County Board used funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the state through budget allocation to invest $1.06 million in the program. The money will be used to help maintain a team of at least 10 “violence interrupters” in Lake County to help reduce street violence in Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion. Violence interrupters are street-level staff that works with high-risk individuals to resolve conflict and reduce gun violence, and they will “work closely with law enforcement to focus on hotspots, to mediate disputes and to prevent retaliation,” Rinehart said. Marcus McAllister, who was raised in the Waukegan/North Chicago area and has been involved with many similar programs for nearly 20 years, will be tasked with training the county’s team of violence interrupters. “This job, when I became a violence interrupter, it changed me. It was something bigger than me to give back,” McAllister said. “Mediating conflict in North Chicago, mediating conflict in Waukegan, they gave me a chance and I wasn't going to let them down,” McAllister added. Rinehart said community-based organizations will be able to submit applications early next week to receive funding and help manage the program. Additional funding from state, federal and private grants to sustain the program will be sought during the first two years of the initiative, the state’s attorney’s office added. |
| Lake County Sheriff Canine Boomer tracks down woman who stole from convenience store in Beach Park Posted: 03 Jun 2022 02:50 PM PDT    Lake County Sheriff Canine Boomer helped track down a woman who allegedly stole from a convenience store in Beach Park and claimed she had a weapon, authorities said. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 6:45 a.m. Thursday of an incident in the 38500 block of North Sheridan Road in Beach Park. Deputies responded to a convenience store for a report of a theft, the sheriff’s office said. The suspect stole alcohol and implied to a customer that she had a weapon. She then fled the scene on foot. Sheriff’s canine Boomer and his handler Deputy Brian Kilpatrick were called to assist in the search. Boomer tracked the suspect through a heavily wooded area and a ravine. The suspect saw Boomer and she ran to the roadway where she was quickly arrested by sheriff’s deputies. Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the suspect was Victoria Bogatova, 25, of the 1500 block of Yew Court in Gurnee. Bogatova was charged with one count of retail theft. Additional charges are possible. |
| North Chicago man killed after being ejected from vehicle during rollover crash in Waukegan Posted: 03 Jun 2022 02:01 PM PDT    A North Chicago man died after he was ejected from a vehicle during a rollover crash in Waukegan early Friday morning that police said was due to speed and alcohol. The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded around 2 a.m. Friday to the area of Pershing Road and Water Street in Waukegan for a vehicle crash. Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip said officers located a black 2017 Cadillac sedan on its roof. Officers were investigating and located two passengers, both Waukegan residents in their 20s. They were both able to get out of the vehicle on their own and were communicating with officers. Florip said officers soon located the driver of the vehicle, who was pronounced dead at the scene.  The driver was a North Chicago man in his 30s. His identity is being withheld pending notification to his family. The Waukegan Police Department Major Crash Unit (MCU) was called to investigate due to the seriousness of the crash. Investigators believe the vehicle was traveling southbound on Pershing Road when it failed to navigate the curve in the roadway, Florip said. The Cadillac then went off the road where it crashed into an embanked area. The male driver, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was ejected in the collision. Both passengers were wearing their seatbelts and were uninjured. Investigators believe that speed and alcohol were the primary factors in the crash, Florip said. |
| Police say they have identified subject who made shooting threat towards North Chicago High School Posted: 03 Jun 2022 11:48 AM PDT    Investigators have identified a subject who held a replica gun while threatening a shooting toward North Chicago High School in a social media video. The North Chicago Police Department said they were provided information by officials from the North Chicago Community High School on Thursday in regards to a threat made by social media. Police said a Snapchat video was received by a student of the high school. The video was captioned “Shooting up nogo on June 3rd.” In the video, a subject can be seen holding a gun and pointing it directly at the camera. The North Chicago Police Department said they were looking to identify the subject in the video. In a message to parents and staff Thursday afternoon, District 187 officials said they were working with the police department regarding the school threat. Police were still assessing the credibility of the threat Thursday afternoon, school officials said. In an update around 6 p.m. Thursday, police said they had identified the subject in the video. “There does not appear to be a credible threat to the community from this incident,” North Chicago police said. Police did not say whether the person has been charged or not. District 187 said in an updated statement to parents that the gun in the video was not a real gun. “There is no evidence to support a credible threat to students and staff. After numerous interviews and a search, the police determined the weapon displayed was not a real gun,” the district said. An increased police presence is in place Friday at North Chicago schools, which remain open following the threat. The investigation is still ongoing and anyone with more information is asked to contact North Chicago Police Detective Mueller at 847-833-0009. |
| Coffee shop temporarily closed after fire causes smoke damage to business in Crystal Lake Posted: 03 Jun 2022 09:42 AM PDT    The Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters shop in Crystal Lake is temporarily closed after a fire started inside and caused smoke damage to the business Thursday evening. The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded around 10:50 p.m. Thursday to a report of a structure fire at Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters, 5005 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake. Crystal Lake Fire Chief Paul DeRaedt said a passerby noticed flames coming from the roof above the business and called 911. An employee was in the building roasting coffee at the time the fire started. The fire was discovered to be in the exhaust ductwork of a commercial coffee roaster, DeRaedt said. The employee had used two fire extinguishers on the fire before the fire department arrived. Firefighters arrived in six minutes and found a significant amount of smoke in the business, DeRaedt said. The fire was confined to the ductwork of the roaster and was quickly extinguished with less than 50 gallons of water. DeRaedt said the cause of the fire appears to be related to a buildup of roasting material in the ductwork lining that ignited. The business sustained smoke damage and will remain closed until repairs are made. The McHenry County Department of Health will also need to inspect the business before it reopens. “The Crystal Lake shop will be closed tomorrow and we'll keep you posted about the weekend,” the business said in a social media post. DeRaedt said the damage is estimated at $20,000. The building is not equipped with a fire alarm or fire sprinkler system. There were no injuries to anyone. Several area fire departments assisted Crystal Lake at the scene. The incident is under investigation by Crystal Lake Fire Rescue investigators. |
| House deemed uninhabitable after fire causes $350,000 in damage in Lake in the Hills Posted: 03 Jun 2022 08:05 AM PDT    Fire officials say residents were displaced from their house in Lake in the Hills after it was left with $350,000 in damage due to a fire Friday morning. The Huntley Fire Protection District responded around 5 a.m. to a report of a structure fire in the 0-100 block of Raxburg Court in Lake in the Hills. Police and firefighters arrived to find a two-story home with smoke and flames showing from the front of the residence. Huntley Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Fortunato said crews completed an initial fire attack utilizing a hose line from their engine and secured water from a nearby fire hydrant.  Firefighters were unable to immediately confirm that all occupants were out of the building. A search was immediately initiated in conjunction with the fire attack, Fortunato said. The search was completed and no occupants were found. The police department was able to confirm that the occupants were accounted for and safe at a neighbor's home. All occupants were able to self-evacuate prior to the fire department’s arrival. A secondary search also confirmed that the home was clear of all occupants.  Fortunato said the main body of the fire was in the attached garage and spread to the first floor of the home. The fire did not extend beyond the home and was brought under control quickly. Overhaul was completed to confirm the fire had not spread beyond the garage and first floor. Heavy smoke damage was found throughout the house, Fortunato said. Two vehicles located in the driveway suffered damage due to exposure to the fire from the garage.  No injuries were reported at the time of the fire and family pets were safely removed, Fortunato said. The home, which has been deemed uninhabitable, was equipped with working smoke detectors. Firefighters from Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, Hampshire, Woodstock and Marengo either responded to the scene to assist or covered calls in Huntley. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and the initial loss estimate to the structure and contents is $350,000, Fortunato said. |
| Police arrest Waukegan man allegedly involved in fake kidnapping report in Antioch Posted: 02 Jun 2022 05:58 PM PDT    A man, who had multiple warrants, was arrested after police say he was involved in an attempted scheme where someone tried to extort money by faking a kidnapping in Antioch. The Antioch Police Department was notified around 9 p.m. Wednesday about a possible kidnapping of an adult female. Village of Antioch Communication Specialist Jim Moran said the investigation determined that a kidnapping had not actually occurred. Someone had attempted to extort money from a family member by making false claims of being kidnapped, Moran said. North Chicago and Waukegan police officers helped Antioch police track down Larry Usher, 32, who is a transient from Waukegan. Usher was involved in the kidnapping report and was located in North Chicago, Moran said. Officers learned Usher had an active parole warrant along with a warrant for an aggravated battery case out of Waukegan. Usher was also found in possession of six grams of fentanyl. Officers arrested Usher and determined the other person, who claimed to have been kidnapped, was safe. Moran said police determined a contributing factor in the case was narcotics. Usher was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and remains held in the Lake County Jail on his battery and parole warrants. State records show Usher was released from the Illinois Department of Corrections after serving time for an armed robbery in Lake County. A judge ordered him held on a $350,000 bond. He would need to post $35,000 cash in order to be released. |
| 77-year-old man killed after two-vehicle crash near McHenry Posted: 02 Jun 2022 04:27 PM PDT    A 77-year-old man died in a two-vehicle crash after he pulled his sedan out into an intersection in front of an SUV near McHenry Thursday morning, the sheriff’s office said. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, McHenry Township Fire Protection District, and Spring Grove Fire Protection District responded at 11:35 a.m. Thursday to Spring Grove Road and Miller Road in unincorporated McHenry for a report of a two-vehicle crash. Emergency crews arrived and found a red 2012 Ford Fusion sedan and a red 2008 Ford Expedition SUV involved in a crash.  A preliminary investigation showed that the Fusion, driven by a 77-year-old McHenry man, was traveling west on Miller Road approaching a stop sign at Spring Grove Road, according to a statement by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office. The Expedition, driven by a 70-year-old McHenry man, was traveling north on Spring Grove Road approaching Miller Road. For unknown reasons, the Fusion pulled into the intersection in front of the Expedition, and both cars collided.  The Expedition did not have a stop sign, the sheriff’s office said. The 77-year-old man driving the Fusion was trapped in his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The 70-year-old man driving the Expedition sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by paramedics to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital.  The intersection was closed for approximately four hours while the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office conducted a crash investigation. The sheriff’s office said the 77-year-old man was wearing a seatbelt and alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office. |
| Waukegan police seek public’s help in locating woman who has been missing for four months Posted: 02 Jun 2022 02:53 PM PDT    Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a 22-year-old woman who has been missing for several months and frequents the Waukegan area. The Waukegan Police Department issued an alert on social media Wednesday asking for help in locating Bianca Haas. Haas, who is 22 years old, is described as a female who is bi-racial, approximately 145 pounds and 5-foot-5. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Haas has a red dragon tattoo on her neck, a rose tattoo on her left arm and a bumble bee tattoo on her left hand. Bianca was last heard from in early February. She is known to frequent the Waukegan and Park City areas, police said. The Waukegan Police Department said the woman was officially reported missing in April in a different police jurisdiction. “We are assisting because she frequents the Waukegan/Park City area. Thank you for your help,” the department said. Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip said Haas was reported missing by one of her parents to police in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. Her parent told police that Haas was last seen in the Waukegan and Park City area. Florip said Haas was possibly last at a location on Drew Lane in Waukegan. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Waukegan Police Department non-emergency number at 847-599-2608 or Detective Francisco Cancino at 847-599-2670. |
| Police seek help in identifying subject who made shooting threat towards North Chicago High School Posted: 02 Jun 2022 01:19 PM PDT Police say a North Chicago High School student received a video of a subject holding a gun that had a caption indicating a shooting would happen on Friday. Officials with the North Chicago Community High School provided information to the North Chicago Police Department on Thursday in regards to a threat made by social media. Police said the Snapchat video was received by a student of the high school. The video was captioned “Shooting up nogo on June 3rd.” In the video, a subject can be seen holding a gun and pointing it directly at the camera. The North Chicago Police Department said they are looking to identify the subject in the video. In a message to parents and staff Thursday afternoon, District 187 officials said they continue working with the police department regarding the school threat. Police are still assessing the credibility of the threat, school officials said. All schools in District 187 are planned to remain open for classes on Friday. “We will let you know as soon as possible if anything changes,” the district said. Anyone with information is asked to contact North Chicago Police Detective Mueller at 847-833-0009. |
| Health officials say first probable case of monkeypox virus identified in Illinois Posted: 02 Jun 2022 12:40 PM PDT    The state health department announced Thursday the first presumptive case of monkeypox was identified in Illinois in a resident who recently traveled internationally. Initial testing was completed Wednesday at an IDPH laboratory and confirmatory testing for monkeypox is pending at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said the adult male Chicago resident had recent travel history to Europe. Based on initial epidemiologic characteristics and the positive orthopoxvirus result at IDPH, health officials consider the case a “probable” monkeypox infection. The IDPH said they are working closely with the CDC and the patient's health care providers to identify individuals with whom the patient may have been in contact while they were infectious. Officials say contact tracing is appropriate given the nature and transmission of the virus. The patient has not required hospitalization and is isolating at home in good condition. IDPH said the case remains isolated and there is no indication there is a great risk of extensive local spread of the virus. Monkeypox does not spread as easily as the COVID-19 virus, officials said. Person-to-person transmission is possible through close physical contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores, such as clothing and bedding, and through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact. Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus family, and typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, IDPH said. It progresses to a rash on the face and body. Most infections last 2-4 weeks. Monkeypox is typically endemic to parts of central and west Africa and people can be exposed through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals, preparing wild game, or having contact with an infected animal or possibly animal products. Multiple cases of monkeypox began being reported earlier this year in several countries that do not normally report monkeypox, including the United States. The CDC reports 19 confirmed cases of monkeypox across multiple states including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. |
| Sheriff says Buffalo Grove man had dozens of child pornography videos in his possession Posted: 02 Jun 2022 10:46 AM PDT   Investigators found dozens of videos of child pornography on devices belonging to a Buffalo Grove man during a search warrant, the sheriff’s office said. The Lake County Sheriff's Office Cybercrimes Unit recently launched an investigation into Jordan L. Curtis, 18, of 2500 block of Waterbury Lane in Buffalo Grove. The investigation resulted in the Cybercrimes Unit obtaining a search warrant for Curtis’ residence in the 2500 block of Waterbury Lane in Buffalo Grove. Sheriff's detectives last Friday conducted the search warrant and seized numerous electronic devices, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said. Forensic examination of those devices revealed Curtis possessed dozens of videos of girls under the age of 13 engaged in sexual acts with adult males, Covelli said. Sheriff's detectives on Tuesday presented the facts and evidence to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. Charges were approved against Curtis for three counts of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony. A Lake County judge approved an arrest warrant and set bond at $200,000. Curtis was arrested at his residence without incident on Wednesday and he remains held in the Lake County Jail. Covelli said that additional charges against the man are possible. |
| Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 Dax helps apprehend 9 fleeing suspects within 24 hours in Lake County Posted: 02 Jun 2022 08:43 AM PDT    Authorities say that Lake County Sheriff's Canine Dax apprehended nine juvenile suspects that fled from stolen vehicles in two different incidents in a 24-hour span. A Lake County sheriff's deputy located a vehicle crash in the area of Wadsworth Road and Delany Road in Wadsworth around 1 a.m. Wednesday. The vehicle was reported stolen from a neighboring community, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said. Three suspects were reported to be involved in the theft at the time when the vehicle was stolen. Deputy John Forlenza and Canine Dax responded to the scene to conduct a track of the offenders who fled from the crash. Dax tracked for just over a mile and located three juveniles who ran when they heard Dax. Covelli said the three juveniles ran onto the roadway where another sheriff's deputy was waiting. They were taken into custody by sheriff's deputies and turned over to the neighboring community where the vehicle was stolen. The Illinois State Police requested assistance around midnight on Thursday for a stolen vehicle that crashed in the area of Lake Cook Road and Interstate 94 in Deerfield. Multiple occupants fled from the vehicle when it crashed, Covelli said. Dax and Forlenza responded to the scene and conducted a track. Dax tracked northwest into a heavily wooded area where he located three juvenile offenders hiding, Covelli said. They were taken into custody. Dax then continued tracking along the shoreline of the Des Plaines River where he located three additional juvenile offenders hiding. They too were arrested and all were turned over to the Illinois State Police. “Our Lake County Sheriff's Office Canine Teams continue to impress every single day. They are a significant necessity in keeping our community safe,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said. “I could not be prouder of the work of our five canine teams and cannot wait for our two additional teams to finish their basic training and hit the streets!” Idleburg said. |
| Judge dismisses mother of AJ Freund’s post-conviction petition, says it has no merit Posted: 02 Jun 2022 07:22 AM PDT   The Crystal Lake mother serving a 35-year prison sentence for killing her son, AJ Freund, had her post-conviction petition denied on Wednesday by a judge, who said she had no merit in her petition. JoAnn Cunningham, 39, formerly of Crystal Lake, filed a post-conviction petition in McHenry County Circuit Court in late March. Cunningham filed the petition pro se, meaning on her own behalf, and was seeking unspecified relief under the post-conviction act. She claimed that her 14th, 8th and 6th Amendment rights were violated after her arrest and during the time of her court case. In a handwritten five-page statement, Cunningham said she had ineffective counsel and was not allowed to testify on her own behalf in court. Cunningham, who was pregnant at the time of her arrest, claimed officers never read her Miranda rights to her before being questioned by detectives. Cunningham also said her 8th Amendment right was violated by “excessive sentencing” imposed on her. She said that she had been on psychiatric medications over a long period of time and was not being monitored by a doctor or mental health professional while in the McHenry County Jail. She also claimed to have suffered hallucinations while in jail on the prescribed medications, which caused “severe side effects,” during her pregnancy and after. Cunningham gave birth to a child while in the McHenry County Jail in May 2019. Cunningham said in the petition that she suffered from postpartum psychosis at the time she killed AJ, who was 5 years old, but that her attorney did not present any evidence to the court.  “Defendant believed that she was possessed and that her son was possessed. Defendant was seeing demons and hearing voices,” Cunningham said, referring to the period of time around when she killed AJ. “Defendant went to her priest, chaplain and co-parent and asked for help with this matter,” she said. Cunningham also told her priest, chaplain and co-parent “that she needed an exorcism.” “The co-parent of her children was there through the whole experience that the defendant had with the demons she was hearing and seeing,” Cunningham said. McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt issued a three-page order on Wednesday denying Cunningham’s petition. Wilbrandt said in his order that Cunningham’s claims about ineffective counsel, not being read her Miranda rights and other claims “appear to be without legal merit.” Cunningham’s claim about her sentence being “cruel and unusual” is “patently without merit,” Wilbrant said. The judge also said that Cunningham’s mention of her medication and the side effects of her pregnancy was made without any assertion about how it affected her guilty plea. “The court finds that the pleadings do not provide the ‘gist’ of a meritorious claim of a substantial deprivation of a federal or state constitutional right and that they are patently without merit,” Wilbrandt concluded in his order as he dismissed the petition. Cunningham has been held in the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, Illinois since August 4, 2020. Records show she is expected to be released on April 24, 2054. She entered the prison with over a year of credit for time served in the McHenry County jail awaiting trial. Cunningham was sentenced to 35 years in prison on July 17, 2020, by McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt. She pleaded guilty in December 2019 to first-degree murder. During Cunningham’s sentencing hearing, McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally began the hearing by reading statements of fact to the court from witness accounts. A Crystal Lake police officer and a Northwestern emergency room doctor both testified regarding a large bruise found on AJ Freund’s hip in December 2018. Several other people were called to the stand throughout the hearing.  Dr. Mark Witeck, who is a forensic pathologist, described his findings during an autopsy on AJ on April 25, 2019. Witeck said that the boy had abrasions and contusions covering his entire body. He had a swollen brain, which ultimately caused his death, and broken ribs. AJ’s brain was crushed into the skull to the point that it shut the rest of his body down, Witeck said. Prosecutors had said that AJ died at some point in the evening of April 14, 2019, after Cunningham had beaten AJ and placed him in a cold shower. AJ was put to bed and later found dead, prosecutors said. Freund Sr. put AJ’s remains in a large plastic tote in the basement and days later buried the remains in a rural area outside of Woodstock. A mental health expert said that he had met with Cunningham several times and determined that she has Cluster B personality disorder. He said that Cunningham suffered rape and abuse at a young age, and has extreme rage and attachment issues. Kenneally gave a closing statement during Cunningham’s sentencing hearing, saying, “The real harm, the real injury caused by AJ's death is limitless. AJ is irreplaceable. Nothing that we can do will bring him back.” Kenneally said “this wasn’t a quiet, peaceful death” before describing how Cunningham beat the boy with a showerhead while screaming in the boy’s face.  “She hasn’t been sitting here crying for AJ, she has been sitting her crying for herself,” he said. Kenneally pleaded to the judge for the maximum sentence — 60 years. Cunningham read a prepared statement at the end of the sentencing hearing. “I have vowed to take this tragedy that I created and help whoever I can possibly help. I am a child of God. I am a loving, kind, passionate woman who has feelings and loves deeply. I’m human,” she said. “As I stand here with all the hurt and pain I caused, I beg for forgiveness. Ask for compassion, love and mercy. My heart and mind failed me and my loved ones, and unfortunately, I cannot go back and change that,” Cunningham added. AJ’s father, Andrew Freund Sr., was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in AJ’s murder after accepting a plea deal to lesser charges in September 2020. He pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a child, a Class X felony, involuntary manslaughter, a Class 3 felony, and concealing a homicidal death, a Class 3 felony. |
| Posted: 01 Jun 2022 05:13 PM PDT   A Deerfield man faces up to life in prison after he pleaded guilty Wednesday to the murder of his wife after he held her hostage and stabbed her in their home in 2018. Gary A. Kamen, 59, of the 1000 block of Peachtree Lane in Deerfield, was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He was later charged with five counts of murder, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon and two counts of aggravated armed kidnapping. Police were called to Kamen’s Deerfield home in the 1000 block of Peachtree Lane around 3:40 p.m. on September 21, 2018, for a domestic dispute call. Officers found Gary Kamen’s wife, Karyn Kamen, 53, significantly injured from multiple stab wounds. Paramedics transported the woman to an area hospital where she was in critical condition and died the following day. Prosecutors said that he admitted to investigators that he held his wife hostage for several hours in their home and stabbed her. Court records show he also allegedly sexually assaulted the woman. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office called the case “brutal and heinous.” Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said at the time that Kamen was taken into custody and placed under special watch after “making statements.” A judge ordered him held in the Lake County Jail on a $10 million bond. Assistant state's attorneys Lauren Kalcheim Rothenberg and Scott Hoffert later argued Kamen was a threat to the family and a judge then ordered him held without bond. Kamen on Wednesday entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office. He pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder in exchange for the rest of his charges being dismissed, court records show. After the plea, defense attorney James Schwarzbach asked the court to have Kamen undergo a mental health evaluation as part of the pre-sentence investigation. Kamen faces at least 20 years in prison with a potential life sentence. Judge Daniel Shanes said Kamen will be required to serve 100% of the sentence imposed. “This has been a long and difficult case for the victim's family and friends. I want to thank the prosecutors, investigators, and victim-witness counselors who have been working on this case since the beginning. Our office will continue to focus on the brutal nature of this crime during sentencing,” Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said. A sentencing hearing is set for July 18. |
| Judge sentences man to more than 3 years in prison for failed theft attempt at Woodstock gas station Posted: 01 Jun 2022 02:53 PM PDT    A Woodstock man was sentenced to more than three years in prison after violating his probation in a case where he demanded cash from a gas station clerk during a struggle with the employee. Cody A. Shambo, 34, of the 800 block of Pleasant Street in Woodstock, was charged in July 2020 with one count of burglary, a Class 2 felony, and one count of theft, a Class 4 felony. A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit said Shambo entered the KR Convenience Store at the Mobil gas station, 2025 South Eastwood Drive in Woodstock, on June 10, 2020. Shambo demanded that the 68-year-old clerk give him all of the cash from the register, the complaint said. The clerk refused his demands and began pushing Shambo out from behind the counter. Shambo refused to leave and began pushing back against the clerk as he stole three packs of cigarettes, the complaint said. Court records show Shambo was found guilty in September 2020 of the burglary charge along with a theft charge in a different case. He was directed to drug court. As part of the drug court order, Shambo was sentenced to 30 months of probation and 100 hours of public service. He was also ordered to undergo drug addiction and alcohol treatment. In December 2021, prosecutors filed a petition for revocation of probation after saying that Shambo violated his probation terms. Prosecutors said that the man tested positive for THC in March 2021 and failed to show up for another drug screen in December 2021. McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt on Wednesday sentenced Shambo to three years and six months in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The sentence will be served at 50% and Shambo will receive credit for time already served in jail. |
| Posted: 01 Jun 2022 11:38 AM PDT    Prosecutors say a gunman shot two men in the head, killing one, at Poppy’s restaurant in Waukegan on Sunday as revenge for a prior shooting. The gunman has been ordered held without bond. Jorge Medina, 18, of Waukegan, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. A second man, Fernando Andino, 19, of Waukegan, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated fleeing and eluding. Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said during a bond hearing Wednesday that the Waukegan Police Department responded around 4:51 p.m. Sunday to Poppy’s, 1535 Washington Street in Waukegan, for a report of a person shot. Officers found two men with gunshot wounds to their heads on the sidewalk near the parking lot of the business off of Washington Park. The business was open at the time and customers were present. Stefan Filipovic, 24, of Waukegan, died in the shooting while a second victim, a 28-year-old Waukegan man, was rushed to the hospital and is expected to survive. Investigators obtained surveillance videos that captured the shooting.  Katris said the video showed a male wearing a black hoodie, gray sweatpants and a black face mask walking northbound on Washington Park towards Washington Street. Filipovic and the second victim were both standing on the sidewalk area speaking with a witness in a car that was parked on Washington Park on the side of the business. The shooter, determined to be Medina, approached the victims and took a shooting stance in the parking lot of Poppy’s. Medina, who was about 10 feet away from the victims, fired multiple shots at the two victims, Katris said. Filipovic and the second victim immediately dropped to the ground after both being shot in the head. Several 9mm shell casings were recovered from the parking lot. In the moments before the shooting, surveillance video showed the shooter exiting the front passenger seat of a vehicle approximately one block away from the shooting and walking in the direction of the victims, Katris said.  The vehicle drove northbound on Washington Park and stopped at the intersection of Washington Park and Washington Street. The vehicle, a BMW 325 that was registered to Andino, drove around the block and picked up the shooter, who had turned around and ran south on Washington Park. Officers spotted the BMW around 7:30 p.m. Sunday and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on it. The vehicle did not stop and officers pursued it for several minutes. The BMW disregarded multiple red lights and stop signs and drove at speeds of over 100 mph, Katris said. The BMW’s tire blew out at one point and the vehicle came to a stop at Sheridan Road and Franklin Street. Andino, who was the driver and sole occupant, was taken into custody. Investigators searched his phone and recovered text messages regarding the shooting, Katris said. Katris said that Andino told investigators that he saw Filipovic at Poppy’s and believed Filipovic was involved in the unsolved shooting case of his friend from last year. Andino texted his friend asking about Filipovic and then texted that he was going to get Medina. Andino claimed to be scared because he did not have a gun so he went to pick up Medina at his house, Katris said. Surveillance video showed a man being picked up at Medina’s residence minutes before the shooting. Video was used to track the vehicle and its two occupants from Medina’s residence to the block where the shooter was dropped.  Andino said that while in the car, Medina changed into a black hoodie and gray sweatpants and was armed with a gun, Katris said during the bond hearing. Andino told investigators he dropped Medina at a street corner a block from the shooting and stopped his car at the intersection of Washington Park and Washington Street, next to Poppy’s. Katris said that Andino heard and saw the shooting and then drove around to pick up Medina. Medina got into the vehicle and told Andino he “dropped both of them.” Katris said that Andino texted his friend again, this time saying he saw the dude “get hit” and “seen them drop.” Andino then dropped Medina off at his house. Waukegan Police Chief Keith Zupec and Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip both said that the department’s investigations divisions have been working non-stop on the case since Sunday and have done a great job. Officers arrested Medina Monday morning. The two men appeared in bond court in front of Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak Wednesday morning. Potkonjak ordered Medina held without bond while Andino was ordered held on a $3 million bond. “The Waukegan Police Department and our Violent Crimes Unit did a fantastic job in obtaining and analyzing the evidence. We will continue to devote extensive resources to gun violence, work aggressively with our law enforcement partners, and support the victim's families,” Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said. The investigation into the shooting continues, authorities said. Anyone with information should contact the Waukegan Police Department or leave an anonymous tip with Lake County Crime Stoppers at 847-662-2222 or by visiting www.lakecountycrimestoppers.com. |
| Section of Monaville Road in Lake Villa to reopen next week after emergency repairs completed Posted: 01 Jun 2022 10:23 AM PDT   County officials say a stretch of Monaville Road in Lake Villa is expected to reopen next week after crews closed the road for an emergency culvert repair almost two months ago. The culvert is located on Monaville Road just west of Cedar Lake Road in Lake Villa. Signs of a potential culvert failure were noticed on April 13 during a routine road inspection by Lake County Division of Transportation maintenance personnel. The Lake County Division of Transportation closed Monaville Road to through traffic from Fairfield Road to Cedar Lake Road. A signed detour was put into place while repairs were being scheduled, officials said. The culvert was aging and a project had been scheduled to replace it later in 2022, the transportation division said.  On Wednesday, officials said in an update that the roadway is anticipated to reopen the week of June 6. The contractor has since set the new precast box culvert. After the culvert was set, crews installed reinforcement bars, poured the concrete wall in two stages which cured over the holiday weekend and installed a waterproof barrier. Efforts are now shifting to getting the road paved and ready to be opened next week, the transportation division said. Work will continue at the site after opening to traffic for minor grading, guardrail installation and landscaping. The detour route of Cedar Lake Road to Rollins Road to Fairfield Road remains in place. Local traffic has access from Fairfield Road east of the culvert. The road near the culvert is still closed to all traffic. “We thank everyone for their patience and the contractor that has worked in the rain and on weekends to keep the project moving forward,” county officials said. |
| Man in his 20s seriously injured after being shot behind business in Waukegan Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:36 AM PDT    Police are investigating after a man in his 20s was shot while near a business in Waukegan Tuesday evening, officials said. The North Chicago Fire Department and North Chicago Police Department initially responded around 10:23 p.m. Tuesday to the 800 block of 10th Street on the border of Waukegan and North Chicago. North Chicago officers received notification from ShotSpotter technology regarding shots fired in the area. Officers arrived to find a person shot in the north alley behind Panaderia La Azteca, 814 10th Street in Waukegan. The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department were also dispatched to the scene. Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the victim is in his 20s. Paramedics transported the man to an area hospital where he was rushed into surgery. The victim’s condition was not immediately known but his injuries were serious, Florip said. The suspect vehicle that fled the scene was believed to be a light-colored SUV. The case remains under active investigation by the Waukegan Police Department’s Community Crimes Division. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Waukegan Police Department tip line at 847-360-9001. |
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