Author: Paul Stukel

Ending months of speculation driven by a health-related absence from his office, Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain announced his retirement Friday, effective November 1, 2026, citing his health and concern for continuity of leadership. “Serving the people of Kane County has been the honor of my life,” said Sheriff Hain. “I’m proud of what we built together and prouder still of the men and women of this office who show up for this community every single day. The work that means the most to me, helping people get treatment and a real second chance instead of just a jail cell,…

A 19-year-old Aurora man has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for the fatal shooting of a man during an apparent drug deal in 2023. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced yesterday that Zahmeir Andrews ws sentenced to 33 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections after he was convicted in July of First-Degree Murder, a Class M felony; Attempt First-Degree Murder, a Class X felony; Attempt Armed Robbery, a Class 1 felony; and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon,a Class 3 felony According to prosecutors, at approximately 7:24pm on August 20, 2023, Aurora police received multiple…

An 18-year-old confirmed gang member from Oswego was arrested by Aurora police Saturday morning for Aggravated Battery just days after being arrested and released on a vehicular burglary charge in Aurora. According to police, at approximately 5:29am on Saturday officers responded to the 700 block of South River Street after the victim reported that an unknown man had threatened him. Preliminary investigation indicates the defendant approached the victim, who was sitting in his vehicle, and a confrontation followed during which the defendant allegedly threatened to shoot him, punched him in the face, and later threatened to stab him. The victim…

A 35-year-old Elgin man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in a violent kidnapping in 2023 that left the victim with fractured bones and stab wounds, among other serious injuries.  Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced yesterday that Judge John Barsanti has sentenced Darnell L. Rhodes to 15 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. On August 13, 2025, a jury convicted Rhodes of aggravated kidnapping inflicting great bodily harm, a class X felony. According to prosecutors, between March 13 and March 14, 2023, Darnell Rhodes, along with codefendant Roger A. Heaps…

A DuPage County man has received a sentence of 12 years in prison under a plea deal related to an incident in 2025 wherein he brutally beat an elderly female family member in her home in Big Rock Township. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced today that Koda R. Uebel, from Waterman, has agreed to a sentence of 12 years of imprisonment in exchange for a guilty plea to the offense of attempt first-degree murder, a Class X felony. According to prosecutors, in the early morning hours of May 31, 2025, attacked a 71-year-old female family member in her…

The Aurora Police Special Operations Group (SOG) is on a roll. On Friday, the department announced that for the third consecutive day, SOG investigators conducted proactive enforcement operations resulting in arrests and significant seizures, this time recovering a large quantity of cannabis and THC products, along with more than $16,000 in cash. “Our Special Operations Group continues to show the value of proactive police work and strong partnerships across our department,” said Aurora Police Chief Matt Thomas. “The results we’ve seen over these three days reflect the experience, persistence, and commitment of our investigators and the specialized units supporting them.…

Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser has absolved two Aurora police officers of any wrongdoing in the officer-involved fatal shooting of 27-year-old Temesgen Welendreyas of Aurora in January. Mosser’s report, issued Friday, justified the shooting as self-defense and the defense of others. The investigation was conducted by the Fox Valley Major Crimes Task Force* and reviewed by the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. It found that on January 21, 2026, Welendreyas battered and threatened his housemate with a knife, and his housemate contacted the police. Aurora police officers were dispatched to the residence, located on the 300 block of Broadway…

A 46-year-old Streator man has been found guilty in the fatal shooting of an Aurora man In June 2021. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser announced yesterday that a jury has found Rodolfo Madrigal guilty of the offense of First-Degree Murder, a Class M felony, in the death of Andrew Contreras, 29, of Aurora. According to prosecuitors, on the morning of January 12, 2021, at approximately 11:30am, Madrigal was pulling onto the ramp for Route 30 in Montgomery at the same time as Contreras. Madrigal’s car pulled beside Contreras’s car, and Madrigal fired multiple shots from a revolver before…

Aurora Police Special Operations Group (SOG) investigators made multiple felony arrests on back-to-back days this week, recovering four firearms, a significant amount of suspected narcotics, ammunition, and cash during separate investigations involving confirmed gang members. According to police, on Monday SOG investigators conducted traffic stops on two separate vehicles, resulting in the arrests of two confirmed gang members and the recovery of two firearms. At approximately 5:51pm, investigators conducted a traffic stop in the area of Marshall Avenue and Highland Avenue. During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered an unloaded HK P30 9mm handgun and a bag containing 37…

An Aurora man has been arrested and charged for allegedly punching several people at random, including a man holding a one-year-old baby, at an Aurora street festival last weekend. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Matt Thomas announced Monday that the 30-year-old has been been charged with three counts of Aggravated Battery in a Public Place (a Class 3 Felony) and one count of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer (a Class 2 Felony). As the charges are non-detainable under Illinois’ Safe-T-Act, he was released from custody with conditions including no contact with the victims…