As Violent Crime Rises, Stiff Prosecutions Await Offenders
Wheaton - As violent crimes reach record levels in Cook County but criminal prosecutions there fail to keep pace, DuPage County residents face the fallout of violent criminals making their way out of the city and into the suburbs. In a two day span just prior to this weekend two especially violent crimes occurred in Downers Grove and Woodridge.
First, on February 5, 2020, at approximately 4:15 a.m., Downers Grove Police Department officers responded to a call of “shots fired” on the 7400 block of Webster. An investigation into the matter alleges that an occupant of the residence was warming up their car when they allegedly observed through the front window a vehicle stop in front of the home and turn off its headlights. It is alleged that two occupants of the vehicle then exited the vehicle and began walking up the driveway of the victim’s house toward the car that was warming up. It is alleged that at this time, two residents of the home exited their house and confronted the two men. It is further alleged that the men then returned to their vehicle and that an occupant of the vehicle pointed a gun at a female resident of the home and fired one shot in her direction. It is alleged that the vehicle then fled the scene. A short time later, a Darien police officer observed the vehicle allegedly involved in the matter and attempted to stop the vehicle at 75th and Cass in Darien. The vehicle allegedly refused to stop and the Darien Police officer continued his pursuit. It is alleged that the vehicle entered northbound I55 at which time the Illinois State Police continued pursuit. It is further alleged that the vehicle exited the expressway and crashed at Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago. The occupants of the vehicle, Shepard, Hendricks and the two juveniles, were taken into custody at this time. Police also recovered two handguns.
Then on February 6, 2020, at approximately 1:12 a.m., Woodridge Police Department officers responded to a call of an armed robbery that had occurred at the BP gas station located at 6820 Route 53 in Woodridge. Upon their arrival, the suspects had already fled the scene. It is alleged that prior to the dispatch call, two male subjects entered the BP gas station, both suspects wore gloves and had their faces mostly covered so only their eyes could be seen. It is alleged that one of the subjects, later identified as Johnson, jumped over the clerk’s counter while the other defendant pointed what appeared to be a handgun, later identified as a pellet gun, at the clerk and ordered him to open the cash register. It is alleged that the clerk complied at which time both offenders took cash from the register as well as cigarettes. It is alleged that both men then fled the scene in a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Chicago the previous day. At approximately 1:46 a.m., a Burr Ridge police office spotted the alleged vehicle at a gas station and attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the vehicle was able to get away. The officer located the vehicle a short distance away where it ultimately crashed near 94th and Jackson in Burr Ridge. At approximately 2:24 a.m., the two occupants of the vehicle, later identified as Johnson and Boens, were taken into custody. Following an investigation into the matter it is alleged that Boens was the driver of the vehicle and that he remained in the vehicle during the alleged robbery. It is also alleged that Johnson entered the BP gas station with another, yet unidentified, individual.
However, on February 7, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced major criminal prosecutions in both cases.
Lamourice Shepard (pictured above) has been charged with Attempt Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking, a Class 1 Felony.
In regards to the attempted armed carjacking in Downers Grove, four males were charged with Attempt Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class 1 Felony) for allegedly attempting to steal a vehicle from the garage of the Downers Grove residence. Lamourice Shepard, 21 (d.o.b. 9/23/1998) and Dywane Hendricks, 21 (d.o.b. 1/7/1999), both of Chicago, appeared in Bond Court in the afternoon. Judge Susan Alvarado set bond at $500,000 with 10% to apply for Hendricks and $750,000 with 10% to apply for Shepard. Their alleged accomplices, two juveniles, appeared at a detention hearing in the morning where Judge Brian Jacobs ordered that both juveniles be detained until at least their next court date which are scheduled for later this month.
“In the past several weeks we have seen a significant increase in vehicular hijackings in DuPage County,” Berlin said. “The common thread exhibited by all these defendants is the complete disregard and disdain for the rule of law and our justice system. In DuPage County, however, we do not share their indifference. Public safety remains a top priority of not only my office, but of law enforcement throughout the County. I would like to thank the Downers Grove and Darien Police Departments as well as the Illinois State Police and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for their outstanding efforts in apprehending the defendants in this case. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Helen Kapas and Alyssa Rabulinski for their efforts on this case as well.”
Eddie Boens (pictured above) has been charged with one count of Armed Robbery, a Class X Felony, and one count of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, a Class 2 Felony.
And in response to the armed robbery of the BP in Woodridge, bond was denied for two Chicago men. Derrick Johnson, 21 (d.o.b. 3/16/1998) of 63 N. Central Avenue and Eddie Boens, 22 (d.o.b. 11/22/1997) of 5133 W. Washington Blvd., appeared in Bond Court that afternoon where Judge Susan Alvarado denied bond for both men. Each of whom have been charged with one count of Armed Robbery (Class X Felony) and one count of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 2 Felony).
“It is alleged that under the cover of night, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Boens and an unidentified accomplice, traveled to DuPage County, robbed a gas station and threatened a clerk at gunpoint who was just trying to earn an honest living,” Berlin said. “This type of violent criminal behavior has no place in civilized society and will absolutely not be tolerated in DuPage County. I would like to thank the Woodridge and Burr Ridge Police Departments for their work on locating and apprehending the suspects in this case. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Heather Misura and Alyssa Rabulinski for their efforts in preparing a strong case against these two defendants.”
Members of the public are reminded that the above complaints contain only charges and are not proof of the defendants’ guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
While the above cases are still in their infancy in the criminal justice system, prosecutions of similar crimes in DuPage County have resulted in the imposition of lengthy prison sentences for offenders.
Phillip Smith (top picture) was sentenced to twenty years in prison, and Carlos Moore (bottom picture) was sentenced to twenty-one years in prison as a result of their involvement in an armed vehicular hijacking and robbery in Wheaton in 2017.
The week prior to the above crimes and announcements of prosecutions, the second offender in an aggravated vehicular hijacking case from 2017 was sentenced to twenty years of prison in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). On January 29 Phillip Smith, 28 (d.o.b. 1/17/1992) of Chicago, appeared in court in front of Judge John Kinsella, where he entered a plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking, a Class X Felony, and received his twenty year sentence.
Previously on May 7, 2019, Smith’s accomplice; Carlos Moore, 28 (d.o.b. 7/18/1991) also of Chicago, was sentenced to twenty-one years in IDOC custody following his plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated Robbery with a Firearm, also a Class X Felony.
On February 22, 2017, at approximately 10:10 p.m., Moore, Smith and one unnamed accomplice followed a Wheaton couple as they drove to their home. When the couple pulled into their garage, Moore, Smith and the accomplice pulled their vehicle into the driveway behind them. Moore and Smith, wearing masks, then got out of their vehicle, pointed a gun at the wife and demanded the keys to their vehicle. The wife gave her entire purse to Moore and then he, Smith and the accomplice stole the couple’s vehicle. A short time later, officers spotted the stolen vehicle but eventually lost the vehicle following a high-speed chase. The vehicle was later located in a Chicago parking lot. An investigation into the incident, conducted by the Wheaton Police Department, led authorities to Moore and Smith. The third individual allegedly involved in the robbery has yet to be identified.
“This afternoon, Mr. Smith learned that he will be joining his partner behind bars for his role in the hijacking of an innocent couple’s car,” Berlin said. “While we are very grateful that no one was injured that evening, I’m sure the entire incident was very traumatic for the victims. The sentences handed down to Mr. Smith and Mr. Moore will send the message to any would-be carjackers that this type of violent crime will not be tolerated in DuPage County. I would like to thank the Wheaton Police Department for their work in identifying the two in this case. I would like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Kristin Sullivan for her efforts in preparing a strong case against both defendants which ultimately led to their guilty pleas.”
Both men will be required to serve 50% of their sentence before being eligible for parole.
In addition to the above crimes from February 5 and 6, on January 17, 2020 the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office announced charges against a juvenile offender in an Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking that occurred in Downers Grove that month. That was followed up with the announcement of charges against two men who committed an armed robbery of the Verizon store in Lisle. Furthermore, the offender from a 2018 vehicular hijacking was sentenced to eight years in prison on January 31, 2020.
So long as violent criminals continue to operate in DuPage County with intentions of endangering and harming members of the public and law enforcement officers, they will face strong criminal prosecutions and the toughest penalties will be sought by the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
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