Author: Paul Stukel

A 36-year-old Chicago woman has been accused by authorities of performing sexual acts with an inmate at the St. Charles juvenile detention center in November of last year. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser announced yesterday that the former employee of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice Phoenix Emerging Adult Career & Education (PEACE) Center has been charged with 15 counts of Official Misconduct, a Class 3 felony. Prosecutors allege that between November 11 and November 15, 2024, the defendant, in her official capacity, knowingly performed acts forbidden by law while employed as a Juvenile Justice Specialist at the facility,…

A 55-year-old Oswego man was arrested Sunday for felony driving under the influence after being found driving, allegedly drunk, despite his license being revoked for prior DUI infractions. The defendant faces charges of Aggravated DUI, a Class 2 Felony, Obstructing Identification, and Driving While License Revoked. According to police, at approximately 10:39am on Sunday, Oswego Police conducted a traffic stop near Route 31 and Century Drive. During the stop, officers arrested the defendant for driving under the influence. After the defendant was transported to the Oswego Police Department for processing, approval was obtained from the Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Office…

A 27-year-old Geneva man has been arrested for possession and reproduction of child pornography. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain announced yesterday that the subject has been charged with 8 counts of Reproducing Child Pornography Victim Under 13, a Class X felony and 8 counts of Possessing Child Pornography, a Class 2 felony. According to prosecutors, between May 9, 2025 and August 27, 2025, the suspect reproduced multiple digital videos containing child sexual abuse material. He was arrested on August 27, 2025. This investigation was conducted by the Kane County Child Exploitation Unit,…

UPDATE: Yesterday, the Kane County Coroner positively identified the man killed during a single-vehicle accident Tuesday morning in St. Charles Township. The victim was 63-year-old Francesco Sarnelli of Campton Hills. An external examination and x-rays have been performed, and toxicology samples have been collected and sent to a forensics lab for analysis. The preliminary cause of death is consistent with multiple traumatic injuries due to a motor vehicle crash. The Coroner’s Office is cooperating with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office in the ongoing investigation. An as-yet-unidentified man was killed Tuesday morning when he apparently lost control of the pickup truck…

A 63-year-old Naperville man has been arrested in connection with two separate attempted armed carjackings over the past week. DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin, Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres and Warrenville Chief of Police Sam Bonilla announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to detain a Naperville man charged with two counts of Armed Violence (a Class X Felony); one count of Attempted Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking with a Firearm (a Class 1 Felony); and two counts of Aggravated Battery (a Class  3 Felony) for an incident that occurred in Naperville and one count of…

A 47-year-old Bolingbrook man is in custody after being arrested for allegedly using hidden cameras to photograph victims in two public restrooms in a Naperville gym. A Naperville Police investigation into hidden cameras discovered in public restrooms at a Naperville gym began in March of this year. Naperville Police responded to Title Boxing Club, 4003 Plainfield-Naperville Road, on March 22 for a report of an employee finding small cameras hidden in two bathrooms at the gym. During the course of the subsequent investigation, detectives identified the Bolingbrook man, who was a member of the gym at the time the cameras…

An as-yet-unidentified man was killed Tuesday morning when he apparently lost control of the pickup truck he was driving just west of Randall Road in St. Charles township. According to the Kane County Sheriff’s office, the accident occurred at approximately 8:00am Tuesday morning at the intersection of Silver Glen Road and Old Homestead Road. Preliminary findings indicate that a 2008 blue pickup truck was traveling eastbound on Silver Glen Road when the driver exited the roadway for unknown reasons at the curve on Old Homestead Road and rolled the vehicle. Several witnesses to the single-vehicle crash at the scene informed…

The Montgomery Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a suspect in the stabbing of a pregnant mother Saturday morning. The suspect is a Hispanic male, age 39, with dark hair, estimated height between 5’4” and 5’6”, approximately 190lbs. He was last seen wearing dark pants and a dark colored jacket. Police caution that if you see the suspect, he may be armed and should not be approached. Anyone with information is urged to contact 911. According to police, on Saturday at approximately 8:30am, officers responded to the 2200 block of Jericho Road in Montgomery and discovered a…

A 25-year-old West Chicago man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in the savage murder of an 18-year-old West Chicago man in 2018. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced Tuesday that Judge Brian Telander sentenced Francisco Alvarado to forty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for his role in the 2018 murder of Luis Guerrero, 18, of West Chicago. Alvarado had previously entered a plea of guilty to one count of First-Degree Murder and one count of Aggravated Kidnapping (Class X Felony). Alvarado is the last of four individuals charged in the…

Harvest season is upon us, and roadside farmstands are the place to be as autumn draws near. So, our intrepid publisher, Kevin Ketchum, got in the spirit and visited a local establishment, The Funny Farm in St. Charles (4N932 Clesen Drive) where he found some amazing fresh produce to take home. Here are some examples of what he found. (Photo credits Kevin Ketchum)