DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today that Judge Robert Miller has found Garrett Mercado, 32 (d.o.b. 10/1/1989) of 2346 Cambridge Lane, Woodridge, guilty of three counts of Animal Cruelty, a Class A Misdemeanor and six counts of Violation of Owner’s Duties, a Class B Misdemeanor. Judge Miller issued his ruling following a five-day-long bench trial where Mercado faced more than two dozen charges as the result of a 2019 fire at an unincorporated West Chicago kennel he operated that claimed the lives of twenty-nine dogs. On July 10, 2019, Mercado, who operated the former D and D Kennel located at 2N441 North County Farm Road, was arrested on a $50,000 with 10% to apply arrest warrant. The following day he posted the necessary 10%, or $5,000, and was released from custody.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Hinsdale Chief of Police Brian King announced today that bond has been set for a Chicago man accused of leading Illinois State Troopers and Hinsdale police officers on a high-speed chase while driving a stolen vehicle. Kevonta Robinson, 19 (d.o.b. 6/19/2002) with a last known address on the 5500 block W. Le Moyne Street, appeared in Bond Court this morning where Judge Margaret O’Connell set bond at $1 million with 10% to apply. Robinson has been charged with two counts of Armed Violence with a Handgun (Class X Felony) one Count of Aggravated Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 1 Felony), one count of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 2 Felony), one count of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding (Class 4 Felony), one count of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4 Felony) and one count of Burglary (Class 2 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas announced today that bond has been set at $2 million with 10% to apply for two individuals charged with carjacking a thirty-five-year-old woman at gunpoint. Kentrell Strong, 18 (d.o.b. 11/16/2002) of the 7800 block of South Essex Ave., and Rayshawn Marshall, 18 (d.o.b. 5/23/2003), of the 1800 block of South Lawndale Ave, appeared at a bond hearing this morning in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin, Downers Grove Chief of Police Shanon Gillette and Darien Chief of Police Greg Thomas announced today that bond has been set for two men currently on probation for robbery out of Cook County charged with robbing two DuPage County gas stations at gunpoint.

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On August 5th Bob swore in 55 new Downers Grove Regional Peer Jurors while continuing his support for this highly successful alternative juvenile justice program.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today that the first of two adults charged with robbing a Roselle gas station at gunpoint has been sentenced to twenty-one years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. George Johnson, 25 (d.o.b. 2/2/1996) of the 1000 block of 16th Avenue, Maywood, appeared in court this morning where he entered a plea of guilty to one count of Armed Robbery with a Firearm, a Class X Felony in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh, who handed down the sentence. A second man allegedly involved, Jerry Thomas Jr., 19 (d.o.b. 9/8/2001) of Chicago is currently in custody in the DuPage County Jail awaiting trial.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Acting Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres announced today that a Chicago man has been arrested and charged with attempting to rob a beverage supply delivery driver with a 9mm semi-automatic rifle on July 27, 2021. Frederick Holmon, 31, (d.o.b. 5/4/1990) of the 100 block of North Kilpatrick Avenue appeared at a hearing this morning where Judge John Kinsella set bond at $750,000 with 10% to apply. Holmon has been charged with one count of Attempt Armed Robbery with a Firearm, (Class 1 Felony), and Unlawful Use of Weapon by a Felon (Class 3 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin is a proud supporter of the 18th Judicial Circuit’s specialty courts, which seek to address endemic societal problems through innovative and responsive solutions. DuPage County is currently home to several specialty courts, namely “First Offender Call Unified for Success” (F.O.C.U.S. Court) [Drug Court], Veterans Court, and Mental Health Court. The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office is an active participant in these specialty courts. The office seeks to insure that qualified defendants are allowed to participate in these programs and receive the treatment and/or services they require to reduce recidivism and return to society equipped for success.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Westmont Chief of Police Jim Gunther announced today that charges have been filed against two employees of a Westmont nursing home for their alleged roles in the death of a ninety-six-year-old female resident in February, 2021. Bert Mongreig, 63 (d.o.b. 4/15/1958) of the 100 block of East Quincy Street, Westmont and Navdeep Dhall, 43 (d.o.b. 12/10/1977) of the 1800 block of Great Plaines Way, Bolingbrook, each appeared at a bond hearing today where bond was set at $50,000 with 10% to apply for both Mongreig and Dhall in accordance with a previously issued arrest warrant issued by Judge Michael Fleming on June 30, 2021. Mongreig has been charged with two counts of Criminal Neglect of a Long-Term Care Resident Resulting in Death, a Class 3 Felony. Dhall has been charged with one count of Criminal Neglect of a Long-Term Care Resident Resulting in Death and one count of Criminal Neglect of a Long-Term Care Resident, a Class 4 Felony. Mongreig was taken into custody from his home yesterday without incident. Dhall was taken into custody from his home earlier today without incident.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced that last Friday afternoon a Bloomingdale man accused of shooting at two Bloomingdale police officers outside his home in 2018 was sentenced to twenty-five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Raymond Vieyra, 45 (d.o.b. 2/11/1976) of the 300 block of Plymouth Lane, entered a blind plea of guilty to three counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm at Peace officer, a Class X Felony, in front of Judge John Kinsella who handed down the sentence. Vieyra was sentenced to twenty-five years on each of the counts, which will run concurrently. He has been held in custody at the DuPage County Jail on a bond of $3 million with 10% to apply since his arrest on October 21, 2018 and will receive credit for that time.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin, Downers Grove Chief of Police Shanon Gillette and Oakbrook Terrace Chief of Police Casey Calvello announced today that bond has been denied for a man currently on parole for an armed robbery out of Cook County accused of robbing several hundred dollars from two DuPage County businesses. Robert Howard, 27 (d.o.b. 7/16/1993) of the 1100 block of N. Oakley Court, Westmont, appeared at a bond hearing this afternoon where Judge Daniel Guerin denied bond. Johnson has been charged with two counts of Armed Robbery with a Firearm (Class X Felony) and two counts of Unlawful Use or Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that the second of two adults charged with attempting to steal a vehicle from the garage of a Downers Grove residence has been sentenced to sixteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Carlos Hendricks, 22 (d.o.b. 1/7/1999) of Chicago, appeared in court this afternoon where he entered a plea of guilty to one count of Attempt Vehicular Hijacking, a Class 1 Felony. On April 30, 2021, Hendricks’ co-defendant, Lamourice Shepherd, 22, also of Chicago, was sentenced to twelve years in the IDOC following his plea of guilty to the same charge. Last summer, two juveniles also involved each entered a plea of guilty to their roles in the incident and received sentences of an indeterminate period of time not to exceed their twenty-first birthday in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. Hendricks entered his plea in front of Judge Daniel Guerin, who handed down the sentence.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Glen Ellyn Chief of Police Philip Norton announced today that bond has been set for a homeless man charged with shooting at a moving vehicle while traveling on Roosevelt Road in Glen Ellyn. Carlos Pagan, 25 (d.o.b. 12/30/1995) with a last known address in Waukegan, appeared in Bond Court this morning where Judge Kenton Skarin set bond at $1 million with 10% to apply. Pagan has been charged with one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, a Class 1 Felony.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that a jury has found Julius Ramsey, 38 (d.o.b. 8/17/1982) of the 4000 block of West Wilcox, Chicago, guilty of sexually assaulting at gunpoint, a female employee of an Oak Brook hotel in the fall of 2019. The jury returned their verdict after approximately two and one half hours of deliberations following a three-day-long trial.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Kristen Ziman announced today that Judge Anthony Coco has ordered a seventeen-year-old Aurora juvenile accused of firing a handgun at a vehicle while at an Aurora gas station be detained until at least his next court appearance. The juvenile has been charged with sixteen counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (Class 1 Felony), one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Gang Member (Class 2 Felony), one count of Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Minor (Class 4 Felony) and one count of Unlawful Use of a Firearm (Class 4 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today that the first of two adults charged with attempting to steal a vehicle from the garage of a Downers Grove residence has been sentenced to twelve years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Lamourice Shepherd, 22 (d.o.b. 9/23/1998) of Chicago, appeared in court this morning where he entered a plea of guilty to one count of Attempt Vehicular Hijacking, a Class 1 Felony in front of Judge Daniel Guerin, who handed down the sentence. Last summer, two juveniles each entered a plea of guilty to their roles in the incident and received sentences of an indeterminate period of time not to exceed their twenty-first birthday in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. A fourth man allegedly involved, Carlos Hendricks, 22 (d.o.b. 1/7/1999) of Chicago is currently in custody in the DuPage County Jail awaiting trial which is scheduled for June 21, 2021.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that Tyrell Pulley, 23 (d.o.b. 3/1/1998) of Chicago, has been sentenced to twelve years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for stealing a man's Jeep Cherokee from an Aurora gas station while the man's eleven-year-old daughter was still in the back seat. The State had requested a minimum sentence of twenty-five years. On March 19, 2021, Pulley entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking, a Class X Felony, in front of Judge John Kinsella, who handed down today’s sentence. On May 6, 2018, Pulley appeared in Bond Court where Judge Kinsella set bond at $150,000 with 10% to apply. He has been in custody since that time.

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On April 16th DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and the 18th Judicial Circuit Court Family Violence Coordinating Council (FVCC) hosted an online seminar titled “Domestic Violence Protocols: Best Practices.” The seminar was open to prosecutors, victim advocates, and law enforcement officers. Bob Berlin opened the seminar with remarks to the participants and specifically highlighted that the President of the Center for Domestic Violence Policy in Washington, DC recently reviewed DuPage County’s manual for domestic violence incidents and said that it looks great,” and commented that we are “doing really good work in this area.”

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police James Kruger announced today that a Chicago man has been sentenced to seventeen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for hijacking a sixty-seven-year-old woman’s car at gunpoint in the spring of 2018. Darnell Anderson, 29 (d.o.b. 11/12/1991) of the 4800 block of W. Monroe, appeared in Court yesterday afternoon in front of Judge Jeffrey MacKay, who handed down the sentence. On February 19, 2021, Anderson entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking, a Class X Felony.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today a two-time convicted felon who is currently out on bond out of DuPage County and on parole out of Cook County will be held on a $150,000 with 10% to apply bond after he was allegedly found to be in possession of a loaded handgun. The State had asked for a bond of $500,000 with 10% to apply. Deontae McClain, 28 (d.o.b. 6/5/1992) of the 900 block of Sacramento Boulevard, Chicago, appeared in Bond Court this morning in front of Judge Jeffrey MacKay who set the bond. McClain briefly appeared at a bond hearing yesterday at which Judge MacKay granted his request to delay the hearing for a day to allow the defendant to obtain private counsel. He has been charged with one count of Armed Habitual Criminal (Class X Felony), one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 2 Felony) and several misdemeanor offenses.

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