The story of Raimundo Atesiano is similar to events we have seen unfold here in Chicago and in many other places around the nation.
Atesiano recently told a federal judge that as a law enforcement officer, he felt pressure to produce arrests that resulted in convictions. If he did that, he knew that promotions and raises would follow. So he devised a plan to boost the arrest statistics vital to advancement of his career: he would frame African Americans for crimes they did not commit.
The value of the 68 pounds of marijuana seized in a suburban Chicago house is estimated at $310,000, news reports stated. The Naperville Police Department said it received information about illegal drug activity at the rental home and officers then obtained a search warrant for the residence.
Two Illinois men and a California man were arrested. Each was charged with the class X felony of possession with intent to deliver over 5,000 grams and with possession of cannabis over 5,000 grams, a class 1 felony.
Though the population of Chicago Heights has been in steady decline since the 1970s, it still boasts a population of slightly more than 30,000 residents. The south suburb garnered headlines after its Park District police chief was arrested in October on charges of non-consensual dissemination of sexual images and intimidation.
Two women initially claimed that Christian Daigre, 41, had secretly recorded sexual encounters with them and then shared the images without their consent. A third woman then made similar allegations against him, but prosecutors announced days ago that they have dropped the latest charges.
The Chicago Tribune reports that rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine (his legal name is Daniel Hernandez) was recently taken into custody by federal law enforcement agents. Hernandez and three others are facing federal racketeering and firearms charges.
The other three suspects are reportedly former associates of the 22-year-old Brooklyn-based rap star who rose to fame with last year’s hit singles “Gummo” and “Fefe.” 6ix9ine released his popular “Day69: Graduation Day” album early this year.
The city’s struggling public school system recently received more bad news when it was revealed that a former Chicago Public Schools employee has been accused of stealing personal information on its 80,000 workers, volunteers and vendors. The former CPS contractor has been charged with felony white collar crimes said law enforcement officials.
The 28-year-old woman did administrative tasks for the school system’s Office of Safety and Security. She has been charged with four counts of aggravated computer tampering and three counts of identity theft, officials said.
Regular readers of our Chicago criminal law blog will undoubtedly recall a post a couple of months ago about a former Chicago police sergeant who was caught framing people for drug crimes. The fallout from the case continued a few days ago when Cook County Judge Leroy Martin Jr. overturned the convictions of seven people who had been accused of drug crimes.
News outlets report that this brings the total of people who have had convictions cleared to 50.
North Chicago is best known as home to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, but the Lake County suburb has recently made headlines as its former police chief readies for trial on charges that he stole more than $200,000 in city funds for his personal use.
Former North Chicago Police Chief Michael Newsome is accused of theft of government property, a felony carrying a potential penalty of up to 30 years in prison. The charge was previously dismissed by the Lake County Circuit to hear the upcoming trial, but was reinstated by an Illinois appellate court.
It was invented 125 years ago and is sometimes used to treat obesity and attention deficit disorder. Methamphetamine is best known as a popular, illegal recreational stimulant, however. An arrest and conviction for meth trafficking can result in years behind bars.
Several Illinois residents south of Chicago are today confronting that possibility after they were taken into custody and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies seized about $700,000 worth of meth.
The first person named as Public Enemy Number One was Chicago’s notorious Al Capone. The designation shifted a few years later to John Dillinger (who also had Chicago connections), “Pretty Boy” Floyd, “Baby Face” Nelson and others.
The latest to receive the dubious honor is "El Mencho," alleged to be at the very top of drug trafficking in Chicago.
Those who have been around Chicago for a while undoubtedly recall Operation Greylord, the 1980s investigation into corruption among Cook County judges, cops, court officials and others. One of the prosecutors who headed the undercover operation was Dan Webb, then U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
Webb has long since been in private practice, now representing Ukrainian industrialist Dmitry Firtash, who officials want to extradite to Chicago to face racketeering charges. The wealthy businessman is accused of masterminding a scheme in which officials in India were allegedly bribed to approve titanium mining operations.
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