Both sides finished their closing arguments and the jury began deliberating on the fate of Harvey Weinstein, the once-powerful movie producer who has been implicated in hundreds of accusations of predatory sexual abuse. The judge delivered instructions to jurors to “use their common sense” which is generally good for prosecutors…
Rufus Carson chose to reject a plea deal that would have lifted the burden of a trial for his victim, a Polish teenager who must now return to the U.S. to testify against him. Carson faces felony charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, and attempted first-degree murder. Carson…
Bruce Lindahl has been linked to the 1976 murder of a Woodridge teenager and is a suspect in 12 murders and nine rapes. The one thing that Lindahl has going in his favor, however, is that he is already dead. Lindahl died in 1981 before DNA technology would be combined…
A self-proclaimed madam is on trial for prostitution charges and may be in more trouble still after posting an ad online at sexyjobs.com. The ad promised an extraordinary opportunity to work at a Chicago-based “members only” club. In the ad, she describes the “Premier Playhouse” as a kink-friendly place that…
A Wheeling School District middle school teacher is facing charges of possession of child pornography, dissemination of child pornography, and unlawful video recording. Each of these is a felony. The Illinois State Attorney General’s office released a statement concerning Scott Pollack (45) of Lake in the Hills. Pollack’s residence was…
The man whose conduct lit the fire that set off the #MeToo movement will stand trial in Manhattan facing five charges relating to sex crimes. Harvey Weinstein has been accused by over 80 women of sexual misconduct and the trial promises to be a historic indictment of Hollywood culture and…
Uber driver, Ahmed Tawfeeq, was recently sentenced to five years for sexually assaulting one of his passengers. Now, he will face additional charges alleging that he attempted to hire someone to hurt, silence, or threaten her. The charges against Tawfeeq included criminal sexual abuse, promoting prostitution, attempted sexual assault, aggravated…
Jose Vilchis is facing charges that he sexually abused one of his students at I&M Gymnastics Academy. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice is suing to revoke his citizenship. Vilchis is a naturalized U.S. citizen, meaning that he came to this country on a green card and then applied…
Baptist Pastor, Charles W. Lyons, confessed to a crime he committed against a female relative when he was a teenager. Ostensibly haunted by the act, Lyons told other pastors that he would prefer that they hear it from him instead of some other way. He has since resigned from his…
A man entered a 43-year-old woman’s apartment through a back door that she had left open to get some air and sexually assaulted her. A year passed with no suspects. Now, DNA links Christopher Nelson to the crime. He has been denied bail. Decades of CSI-style TV shows have led…