Stories by Matt Masterson

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced Tuesday her office is adopting a new policy wherein prosecutors won’t oppose requests from impoverished individuals who ask a judge to eliminate certain fines or fees.

DaJuan Martin, 36, was charged in Chicago’s federal court Monday with 12 counts of wire fraud stemming from the alleged fraud scheme. A second man, 46-year-old Ned Brooks, was also charged with four counts of wire fraud after he allegedly purchased several of these fraudulent vouchers.

“The summer months are the perfect time to reinforce skills learned during the previous year and prepare them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the classroom and in life," Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said in a statement. 

According to Chicago Police Department figures, 46 people were shot in 31 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

David Dejesus, 16, and Yahir A. Torrecilla, 17, have each been arrested and charged as adults with first-degree murder stemming from the fatal May 6 shooting of 23-year-old Niolis Collazo.

New crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department show that 229 people have been killed in the city year-to-date. That total is down about 9% from the same time last year (when there were 253 homicides) and down about 12% compared to 2021.

Federal prosecutors have charged Rosco Blackman with witness tampering following the comment he allegedly made during the ongoing trial of his brother Romeo Blackman, a reputed leader of the Goonie Boss street gang.

Christopher Mike Garbowski, 37, was issued a year-and-a-day sentence after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of violating an order of the Captain of the Port.

The Chicago Police Department said 53 people were shot in 42 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday. One person was also fatally stabbed during the holiday weekend.

“At best, the cardinal’s claims of being blindsided are misleading,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “At worst, they are more of the same, a continuation of the church’s decades-long pattern of turning a blind eye and covering up allegations of child sex abuse to the detriment of survivors.”

The mayor was joined by several community leaders and city department leaders at 63rd Street Beach Thursday afternoon to outline Chicago’s public safety plan ahead of what has historically been a violent weekend.

Speaking before the Chicago Board of Education at its monthly meeting Wednesday, Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jackson Potter said the changes he’s seen in terms of district cooperation are “unprecedented.”

The results of that investigation, published by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, represents what he called the first comprehensive accounting of child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in Illinois.

The Chicago Police Department said Monday it was searching for approximately 18 males who are believed to have attempted to break into the office.

Monday marks 10 years since the Chicago Board of Education's historic and controversial vote to close 50 public schools.

Adam Avizius, 37, was arrested on a single charge of aggravated battery stemming from a shooting incident outside the library Tuesday evening.

Thomas Duncan, a 39-year-old ex-supervisor at the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and 52-year-old Daniel Dingle each pleaded guilty in federal court this week to single counts of wire fraud.

Corey Gray, 21, was charged in federal court in Chicago on Wednesday with one count of knowingly transferring a firearm to an individual who was neither a licensed dealer nor a resident of the same state as Gray.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez did not get into specifics while speaking before the Chicago Board of Education Wednesday, but reiterated that principal Abdul Muhammad “had to be pulled” from the school “for multiple reasons.”

Chicago police Officer Aréanah Preston, 24, had just finished her shift and was returning home while still in uniform at around 1:45 a.m. on May 6 when she was killed outside her home in the 8100 block of South Blackstone Avenue.

Chicago police announced criminal charges Tuesday against an 18-year-old man who was allegedly involved in the non-fatal shooting of Dakotah Earley last May. The teen was 17 when the shooting occurred, police said. 

During his time as U.S. Attorney, Lausch oversaw numerous high-profile investigations in Chicago, among them, the indictments of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on racketeering and bribery charges and longtime Chicago Ald. Ed. Burke.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 26 people were shot in 23 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart on Friday said millions more dollars must be dedicated to helping police departments recover weapons from those who’ve had their FOID cards revoked.

Denise Solorzano, 26, has been arrested and charged with four counts of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, three counts of aggravated battery in a public place and one count of aggravated assault.

Ramsy Sandoka, 40, has been charged with a felony count of aggravated possession of a stolen vehicle and misdemeanor counts of failure to keep recyclable purchase records, selling/purchasing catalytic converters and a violation of recycle metal law after police found more than 600 catalytic converters at his Worth Township home.