Author: Paul Stukel

Three men are in custody after Naperville police spotted them in a vehile that allegedly had been stolen in a carjacking an hour earlier. At approximately 7:11pm on Saturday, Naperville police officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of South Washington Street in an attempt to locate a black GMC Acadia that was allegedly taken an hour earlier in a vehicular carjacking from another suburb.  Officers arrived on scene and located the Acadia running and backed into a parking space in an apartment complex.  Officers successfully used their squad cars to pin the Acadia and prevent it from leaving the…

A 43-year-old Aurora man is in custody after allegedly luring a young West Viginia woman to Aurora and involving her in prostitution. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Keith Cross announced Saturday that Judge Alex McGimpsey has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for the suspect, who has been charged with one count of Trafficking in Persons (a Class 1 Felony); two counts of Involuntary Servitude (one a Class 3 Felony and one Class 4 Felony); and one count of Promoting Prostitution (a Class 4 Felony). The charges stem from an investigation by…

A 36-year-old Elgin man was sentenced to 49 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child over a nineteen-month period beginning in the fall of 2021. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser announced today that Judge D.J. Tegeler has sentenced Ernesto Velasquez-Jimenez to 49 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Velasquez-Jimenez was convicted in October of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a child, class X felony (3 counts) and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse of a child, class 2 felony (7 counts) According to evidence presened at trial, between the dates of October 1, 2021 and June 3, 2023,…

The second fire this month at Elgin’s so-called “Tent City” Thursday evening destroyed three stuctures and killed a dog, authorities say. According to the Elgin Fire Department, firefighters responded to a fire at the homeless encampment near State and Wing Streets at 11:49pm on Thursday, where they found three structures fully engulfed in flames. While crews faced subzero temperatures and a 500-foot hose stretch, the fires were extinguished within 30 minutes. Nearby Metra trains were halted for safety reasons. There were no injuries reported among residents or firefighters. During a search of the area affected, firefighters discovered the remains of…

An Elgin man has been charged with First Degree Murder in the stabbing death of a woman in Elgin early Saturday morning. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Elgin Chief of Police Ana Lalley announce that the 36-year-old subject has charged with two counts of First Degree Murder, a class M felony, after allegedly stabbing Dreanna D. Booker multiple times with a knife, causing her death. Prosecutors assert that the suspect intended to kill her and knew his actions created a strong probability of her death. On Saturday, December 7, around 1am, Elgin police responded to the suspect’s residence…

Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser just released a statement regarding the accusations made by the Illinois Secretary of State detailed in the story below. Here is her statement in its entirety. “The Illinois Secretary of State issued a letter last week to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regarding actions taken by my Office in 2021 involving a 2020 criminal case against Nathan Sweeney. “Contrary to the allegations made in that letter, the decisions regarding the case were based upon a number of factors that were unrelated to his Commercial Driver’s License. “We welcome any review or audit of…

The famous Christkindlmarket is now open in Aurora, and Fox Valley Magazine’s Kevin Ketchum and the crew of the Justa Coupla Guys podcast were there for it. Some sights and sounds from a festive day (and evening). For more on the Christkindlmarket, click here. (Photo and video credit Kevin Ketchum) And here’s the Justa Coupla Guys podcast!

Authorities found the deceased body of a 35-year-old man in the Fox River in Aurora Tuesday afternoon. According to a press release from the Aurora Police Department, at approximately 1:54pm Tuesday, the Aurora Police and Fire Departments responded to a report of a deceased male in the Fox River near Hurd’s Island. Emergency personnel recovered the remains, which were later identified as a 35-year-old male. The man was preliminarily identified through distinctive tattoos, and his last known location was a nearby shelter the previous evening. Initial findings showed no immediate signs of trauma or foul play. The Kane County Coroner’s…

A 48-year-old Batavia man was killed early Saturday morning when the vehicle he was driving went off the road near Sugar Grove and hit a utility pole. According to a press release from the Kane County Sheriff’s office, at approximately 2:53am Saturday morning, officers were dispatched to the 2S800 block of Bliss Road in Sugar Grove Township where they found a 2007 silver Chevrolet Impala facing south in the east ditch on Bliss Road. The vehicle had significant visible damage to the drivers portion of the vehicle, and the single occupant of the vehicle, identified as Ariel Martinez, was critically…

In a scene straight out of a horror movie, a shirtless man wielding a chainsaw was fatally shot by a St. Charles police officer while threatening residents of a local assisted living facility Sunday morning. At approximately 8:45pm, St. Charles Police Officers were dispatched for a “welfare check” call in the 900 block of North 5th Avenue. Witnesses reported that a shirtless male was holding a chainsaw and attempting to cut down a tree on the property of the River Glen of St. Charles, an assisted living center. Just before police arrived, witnesses indicated that the subject had gained entry…