2014

Chief Tom Weitzel, Chairperson,

Riverside PD, Cmdr. Michael Keating,

Forest Park PD and Sgt. Guy Papa,

Berwyn PD

WEDGE YEAR END REPORT

C/O: Riverside Police Department, 31 Riverside Rd., Riverside, IL 60546

WEST SUBURBAN DIRECTED GANG ENFORCEMENT - 2014 Activity Berwyn/Brookfield/Elmwood Park/Forest Park/North Riverside/Oak Park/Riverside/River Forest/River Grove/Stickney

To: Chiefs, Commanders, Personnel, Elected Officials and Cook County Citizens Fm: Chief Tom Weitzel

Re: 2014 Annual WEDGE Report It is my pleasure to submit the 2014 WEDGE annual mission report on the work done under

the Task Force. This regional Task Force has had a tremendous impact on public safety and

quality of life in the 10 communities of the west suburban Cook County region. We moved

forward with efforts to fight major crime and coordinate regional effort to investigate and

prosecute major drug trafficking, criminal enterprises and gang activity in suburban Cook

County.

Regionalization for public safety is making a real difference in our region due to efforts by

WEDGE personnel. Thank you so much for the opportunity to continue to strengthen our

partnerships between the many participating municipal, state and federal law enforcement

agencies.

Through the multi aid agreement under WEDGE, we have formed an outstanding team of

law enforcement professionals to investigate and prosecute major crimes in the region.

WEDGE officers did extraordinary work to reduce crime and impact the quality of life in

2014. Local, state, and federal resources have been coordinated with great success. There

were 50 Task Force deployments resulting in 48 arrests for major crimes.

Trainings on search and seizure, cell phone technology, digital forensics, and advanced

investigation techniques have raised the level of professionalism for task force members

and the police departments where their knowledge and expertise is shared.

This report details the steps to achieving our objectives and the challenges along the way. I

want to recognize the great work done by the participating officers and police chiefs from

municipalities of Berwyn, Brookfield, Elmwood Park, Forest Park, North Riverside, Oak Park,

River Forest, River Grove, Riverside and Stickney Police Departments, and Dora Murphy of

the Forest Park Police Department who serves as secretary for the Task Force.

I want to specially recognize Forest Park Commander Michael Keating and Berwyn Sergeant

Guy Papa for their extraordinary efforts in organizing and leading our Gang and Drug Task

Force.

If you have questions or want further information, please contact me at any time.

Thomas Q. Weitzel Thomas Q. Weitzel Riverside Police Chief and WEDGE Chairperson

WEDGE MEMBER POLICE DEPARTMENTS

BERWYN Chief Jim Ritz

BROOKFIELD

Chief Steve Stelter

ELMWOOD PARK Chief Frank Fagiano

FOREST PARK Chief Jim Ryan Co-Chairperson

jryan@forestpark.net 708 366 2425 Dora Murphy

Secretary

NORTH RIVERSIDE Chief Lane Niemann

OAK PARK

Chief Rick Tanksley

RIVER FOREST Chief Greg Weiss

RIVER GROVE

Chief Rodger Loni

RIVERSIDE Chief Tom Weitzel

Chairperson 708 447 2127

tweitzel@riverside.il.us

STICKNEY Chief John Sladetz

Federal Partners:

ATF and DEA

January 2014

Assist Other Agency Home Invasion South Haven Mississippi

Kwame Becton - WEDGE/Forest Park P.D. and the South Haven Mississippi P.D. worked

together to arrest Becton for 5 active warrants after he brutally beat an 86 year old woman

during a home invasion. He then stole her vehicle and drove it to Forest Park, where he

ditched it. WEDGE Officers located Becton and turned him over to investigators from South

Haven Mississippi. He was placed into custody without incident.

Warrant Service Georgia

Wayne Howard Norman was arrested on three out-of-state warrants out of Georgia, failure to

appear on three fraud charges. He was expedited back to Georgia after being turned over to the

Cook County Sheriffs Office. *NO PICTURE*

Warrant Service Chicago Police Department

Dwayne Wells was arrested after a street stop. He had a parole

violation warrant out of Chicago for possession of a controlled

substance. Wells has been arrested 34 times.

Criminal Damage > 300

Tyran Lockett was arrested for Criminal Damage >300

IVC Violation - Possession of Cannabis

Richard Eames vehicle curbed for an IVC violation. Eames was in possession of a

clear knotted plastic bag, containing three clear Ziploc baggies containing

suspected cannabis, and a cannabis cigarette inside his right sock. He was also in

possession of $3,540.00 USC separated into three rubber banded bundles.

Eames was processed and the currency was seized pending a 1505 asset seizure

hearing.

February 2014

Warrant Service Recovered Guns

Franklin Principe was stopped for a traffic violation. He had two active warrants.

WEDGE also recovered a .38 caliber handgun and a Remington 12 gauge

shotgun from him.

Residential Burglary Felony

Damien Romero was picked up at his home after being identified

as being involved in a RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY that occurred

on 12/31/2013. Romero gave full written statement of his

involvement. Antonio Lemus turned himself in after he was

implicated by Romero. Between the two, they were charged with

four felonies.

Commercial Burglary

Cory Froio and James Lange were arrested for commercial burglary after they were seen stealing construction materials and placing them into a vehicle that was parked behind 6136 Roosevelt Road. Froio was arrested after a foot chase. Both gave statements implicating themselves.

March 2014

Transmitting a Threat

Douala Mitchell posted several messages on Facebook threatening to shoot

several students at Riverside Brookfield High School. He was charged with

transmitting a threat.

IVC Violations Cannabis Arrest

Reynaldo Garcia, Dominic Seropian Jr., Patrick

Hernandez were stopped for IVC violations. 62

grams of cannabis was found and $411.00 was

seized.

April 2014

Search Warrant Arrested Arnold Cox was a target of a search warrant. He was detained and 13.5 pounds of cannabis and a Taurus PT845 .45 handgun were seized. He was also in possession of .380 rounds, 9mm rounds and additional .45 caliber rounds. Cox also had $1149.00 which was seized.

Search Warrant Possession of Cannabis w/ intent to Deliver Anthony Darby - WEDGE Officers assisted River Forest in a search warrant for 1306 S. 6th Ave, Maywood, IL. During the execution of the warrant, a total of 104 grams of cannabis was located in the bedroom. Darby was charged with possession of cannabis and possession with the intent to deliver.

Warrant Arrest DuPage County Surrvell Harris was arrested for a DuPage County warrant. He was in possession of $2,550.00 USC and was held pending seizure.

.

Traffic Stop Aggravated UUW

Jahmall Jones was the front passenger of a vehicle that was stopped for traffic

violations. Jones reached down underneath his front passenger seat and

concealed an InterArms Walther .380 cal s/n 254332 on the floor. Jones was

arrested and charged with AGGRAVATED UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.

June 2014

Residential Burglary Kelly Nolan and co-defendant, Rustom Walter broke a window pane on the rear door of an apartment and Nolan gained access by climbing through the window. Nolan then opened the front door and let Walter into the apartment. A flat screen TV, two laptops and a PS3 Playstation were taken. Nolan provided a written statement implicating her involvement in the burglary.

July 2014

Organized Continuous Financial Crime

Yacoub Khalifeh and Wael Jarwan were arrested after an

investigation conducted by the River Forest Police Department

along with the Chicago Police Department, Porter County

Sheriffs Department and the Cook County States Attorneys

Office working with Walgreens and CVS. They were charged

with a Class X Felony for Organizing a Continuous Financial Crime

Enterprise. $14,000.00 USC and five vehicles were seized as well

as $19,000.00 in stolen merchandise recovered.

August 2014

Retail Theft Felony

Akell Awad was arrested for RETAIL THEFT after removing $71.88 of Red

Bull from Jewel in River Forest. He later gave a written statement

admitting to the theft. He was charged with Felony theft.

Aggravated Flee/Elude/Battery David McCarthy - Officers tried to curb vehicle and McCarthy fled 21 mph over the speed limit. Identification was made through I-Clear photograph during the pursuit. McCarthy then fought with CPD and WEDGE Officers when they attempted to locate and take him into custody. He was charged with AGG FLEE/ELUDE/BATTERY.

September 2014

Search Warrant POC / UUW Deandre Pressweood - WEDGE Officers assisted Berwyn with a search warrant-arrest POC UUW. Recovered One Davis P380 Serial #4P373139.

Possession of Controlled Substance/Cocaine/Cannabis

Carlos Almaraz was arrested for possession of controlled substance/cocaine

and possession of cannabis. Officers also recovered .25 cal Titan Tiger

firearm.

Residential Burglary Aggravated Battery to Police Officer Joshua Velez -

WEDGE Officers assisted Brookfield in arresting Velez for residential burglary,

aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated fleeing to elude and reckless driving.

Search Warrant Kristopher Perez and Julio Guzman were arrested during a

WEDGE Search Warrant in Elmwood Park. After the search

was performed, 14 ecstasy pills were recovered from the laundry

room.

October 2014

Criminal Trespass to Motor Vehicle

Anthony Sanchez and Daniel Robinson were found breaking into vehicles In Stickney and removing items. They were both charged with Criminal Trespass to Motor Vehicle.

Felony Retail Theft Tiffanie Haberland burglarized her fathers home and stole numerous items; even pawning some of them. She was charged with Felony Theft. WEDGE officers staked out her home and arrested her as she pulled up in her boyfriends car.

Residential Burglary Simone Blissett was a suspect in numerous residential burglaries

in River Forest and surrounding communities. WEDGE Officers

staked out her home in Chicago and then took her into custody.

River Forest charged her with residential burglary.

.November 2014

Domestic Battery

Terrill Hayes was arrested for domestic battery in Elmwood Park by WEDGE

officers; complaints signed

Stolen Vehicle and Burglary

Pierre Keith was the driver of a stolen vehicle and fled on foot. Keith was

captured and charged with three counts of burglary with the proceeds from

burglaries found in the stolen vehicle.

December 2014 Burglary Robert Landfair, Ahmad Brown and Curtis

Echols were investigated, arrested and

charged with burglary of Currie Motors car

dealership in Forest Park.

Traffic Stop Arrest Possession of Cannabis

Kierre Gladney and Sawvanche Wonsey - WEDGE Officers

conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle where Wonsey was a

passenger. Officers smelled cannabis and while an

investigation was conducted, Wonsey ran from the scene with

officers in foot pursuit. Wonsey ran to his home which was a

block away. WEDGE and Oak Park Officers went to his home

and were confronted by angry family members. During the

course of the investigation, Gladney, who is Wonseys older brother, shoved one officer and

struck another with an open hand. Gladney was arrested for two counts of battery to a police

officer, and Wonsey, who left his cannabis in the vehicle he fled from, was found hiding in a

parked vehicle behind his house. He charged with possession of cannabis.

Felony Retail Theft / Continuing Financial Crime Melinda L. Mayes was taken into custody by WEDGE Surveillance officers who staked out and charged with Retail Theft after she took $837.00 worth of fragrances from Ulta in River Forest. She provided a written statement implicating herself in this offense as well as numerous felony thefts in Oakbrook, Skokie, Norridge, Bloomingdale, Schaumburg, and Chicago. She was charged with Felony Retail Theft and Continuing a Financial Crime.

Arrests

2013

2014

Felony Charges

102

75

Misdemeanor Charges

35

49

Ordinance Charges

6

10

Warrants

21

35

Guns Recovered

4

15

Seized U.S. Currency

$10,213.00

$21,035.00

Street/Traffic Encounters

418

456

Operational Days

46

50

Average Criminal Charges per Operational Day

3

3

Stats for 2014