Waving signs and chanting, about 20 demonstrators rallied in rain turning to sleet on a downtown Aurora street corner last week to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the threat of sending children back to countries of origin despite years of living in the United States. (Photo by Al Benson)

ELGIN

Retired police sergeant charged in theft from union

A retired Elgin Police Department sergeant has been charged with taking $34,000 from the Police Benevolent and Protective Association over the course of seven years.

According to a Facebook post by Elgin Police Chief Jeff Swaboda, former police Sgt. William Wood, Jr., 50, of Elgin was indicted for one count of theft, a Class 2 felony, and a $30,000 warrant was issued, with a court date forthcoming.

“This is a sad day,” Swaboda said via Facebook. “But we ask that the community keeps in mind this is a negative reflection on the former officer who committed the crime, not on the men and women of the organization who day-in and day-out give their best to the city of Elgin.”

Wood is accused of taking about $34,000 from Elgin Police Benevolent and Protective Association Unit 54. He had served as the union’s treasurer and president from 2007 to 2013.

Swaboda said the department was notified on Aug. 8, 2017, “that there was a situation involving a suspicious transaction from the union bank account.”

This prompted a review, during which financial documents were obtained and analyzed and additional discrepancies were uncovered, Swaboda said.

On March 6, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office presented the matter to a grand jury, and Wood was indicted.

“I commend the PB/PA #54 for coming forward with this case as it demonstrates to our community that we will not tolerate criminal behavior — least of all within our own department,” Swaboda said. “Our officers are some of the best in the nation and will not be tainted by the actions of one.”

AURORA

Social media sale ends in robbery

A transaction between two people arranged on social media went bad between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., March 2 at a home in the 2400 block of Sagamore Court, according to Aurora police.

Police said an 18-year-old man reported that he arranged on social media to swap cell phones with another man and supplement the deal with cash. The transaction was to take place at the 18-year-old’s home.

When the seller showed up, the 18-year-old gave him his cell phone and an undisclosed amount of cash. The other man then said he’d have to go back to his car to retrieve the cell phone he had for sale.

The 18-year-old proceeded to follow the other man to his car that was parked on the street and when they reached it, the other man pushed the teenager to the ground, entered the car, and the vehicle fled the area.

The victim suffered scrapes to his legs. He refused medical treatment.

He was not able to give a detailed description of the offender nor the car he was driving.

Police remind residents that if you sell or buy items over the internet, it is safer to meet the other party at the Aurora Police Department, either in our lobby or parking lot, to do the actual transaction.

KANE COUNTY

Police discover Elburn pot-growing operation

A 36-year-old Grayslake man faces charges of manufacture and intent to deliver more than 5,000 grams of marijuana after a Kane County Sheriff’s Office investigation uncovered a giant-economy-sized, indoor pot-growing operation in Elburn.

According to a Kane County Sheriff’s Office news release, the grow operation was located at a warehouse on West Nebraska Street in Elburn.

Maskin Gokhman, 36, of Grayslake, was taken into  him into custody after the Sheriff’s Office and Elburn Police obtained and executed a search warrant at the warehouse at 250 West Nebraska St. in Elburn.

Inside the building, Special Investigations Unit detectives located an indoor cannabis grow operation with about 200 plants at various stages of growth.

With the assistance of a Sheriff’s Office K9, the deputy found about one-half pound of suspected cannabis inside Gokhman’s vehicle.

Detectives also located about 68 pounds of harvested cannabis, with an estimated street value of $150,000.

AURORA

DACA concerns draw protesters downtown

Waving signs and chanting, about 20 demonstrators rallied in rain turning to sleet on a downtown Aurora street corner last week to defend Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Chants by demonstrators included “No hate no fear, immigrants welcome here,” “Up up with education, down, down with deportation” and “This is what democracy looks like.”

Indivisible Aurora,  a  self-styled citizen community focused on activating local progressive political activism, was the sponsor. 

An online advance announcement listed supporters including  Immigrant Liberation Alliance, The Aurora Huddle, People Power and Women’s March Aurora Huddle. 

“We support policies that protect all immigrants–documented and undocumented–with dignity and respect,” it said. “We support protecting refugees from unstable or unsafe circumstances affecting their home countries.”

Indivisible Aurora describes itself as a community of citizens, centered in Illinois’ 11th congressional district, organizing to resist the Trump Administration agenda when and where it offends the group’s American values.

GENEVA

Cultural Arts Commission announces summer music

The 10th annual Summer Series will be held on four Sundays at RiverPark located at North River Lane and Peyton Street just north of State Street.

The programs, announced last week, which take place at the park’s stone amphitheater and are sponsored by the City of Geneva’s Cultural Arts Commission. Scheduled dates are: July 8, July 15, July 22, and July 29

The series begins July 8 with Lee Murdock on six and twelve-string guitars.  His musical influences span fifteen generations, from 17th century Irish harp music to Scott Joplin guitar rags and embracing the blues, freshwater shanties, original songs and ballads.

On July 15, the Illinois Brass Band will perform for the first time at RiverPark.  Thirty band members will impress audiences with the power, virtuosity, and beauty of the British-style brass band and breadth of its repertoire. 

Also, performing for the first time at RiverPark is the Steel Crazy Steel Band on July 22.  Dave Seagren and his 10-piece band will bring the spirit of the Caribbean Islands to life with tropical musical styles including reggae, calypso, socca, Latin and pop.

On July 29 is Miscella’s Sweet Melodies featuring proessional vocalist, Deborah Powel, with Dan Anderson on bass and Scott Reed on keyboard perform a variety of Jazz, Gospel and R & B.

All performances are free, but donations to the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission are welcome.  For more information call (630) 232-8313 or visit www.geneva.il.us/433/RiverPark-Summer-Concert-Series

COUNTY

Ex-doctor sentenced, fined in pot case

A former Geneva doctor has been sentenced to prison for possessing a large amount of marijuana in the basement of his St. Charles home.

Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti last week sentenced 58-year-old Mark G.P. Lewis to eight years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections and assessed a fine of $137,720.

Lewis pleaded guilty in January to unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, a Class X felony, and unlawful possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owners Identification Card, a Class 3 felony. 

In may 2015, officers from the North Central Narcotics Task Force served a search warrant at Lewis’ St. Charles residence. They found 110 marijuana plants, more than 11,000 grams of processed marijuana, a handgun and ammunition. Lewis’ FOID card had been revoked.

Lewis remains in custody at the Kane County jail, where he has been held since his arrest in lieu of $1 million bail. Bond was revoked upon conviction.

According to Illinois law, Lewis is eligible for day-for-day sentencing. He receives credit for 1,029 served in the Kane County jail.

In addition, Lewis is charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony, and criminal sexual assault. His trial in the case is set to begin July 16.

BATAVIA

Steak ’n Shake shooter surrenders

A man accused of shooting a teenager at a Batavia Steak ‘n Shake drive-through last month has turned himself in to police and is in custody at the Kane County Adult Justice Center.

According to a Facebook post from the Batavia Police Department, Terry W. Hunter, 27, of Aurora faces a series of charges, including: three counts of attempted murder, aggravated battery, armed violence and seven county of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

According to Batavia police, at around 6:25 p.m. that day, officers were dispatched to the Steak ‘n Shake for a delayed report of a shooting in the parking lot. Police were initially alerted by medical staff at a local area hospital that they were treating a male patient for an apparent gunshot wound that he told them he had received while in the parking lot the drive-through lane.

The victim, a 17-year-old from Carol Stream, was treated at Delnor hospital and released, suffering a single, non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his upper left leg.

Evidence collected during a crime-scene investigation indicated that the offending vehicle was a red sedan.

The victim told police that, while parked in the drive-through lane at the restaurant, there was a verbal altercation between the occupants in his vehicle and an occupant of a red sedan. As a result of the altercation, the victim alleged a subject inside the red vehicle fired numerous shots at him, striking him once.

Subsequent investigation resulted in Hunter’s identification, and charges were approved via consultation with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office before Hunter turned himself in.

–Kane County News Briefs–