March 1, 2019

What You May Not Know About Domestic Violence Laws in Illinois

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Because domestic violence is a very real and pervasive threat in the U.S., the Illinois legislature has concentrated on making domestic violence laws more stringent. Law enforcement in the state has created dynamic new policies. Prosecutors are now responsible for enforcing new laws in addition to ones that are already on the books.

Many people do not realize that the state files the criminal charges for domestic violence, not the victims. It is important that you have a clear understanding of the laws governing domestic violence and what may be ahead if you are convicted of such a crime. A Chicago domestic violence attorney can help assess your case and guide you through building your defense.

What You May Not Know About Domestic Violence Laws in Illinois

February 27, 2019

How Society is Affected by White-Collar Crime

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

White-collar crime may consist of various charges at both the state and federal level. The stereotype of an individual engaging in white collar crime may be the high-level corporate executive in a tailored suit who sacrifices the future of his company for personal gain. But a crime of this nature could be perpetrated by anyone in the office, from a mailroom clerk all the way up to the C-suite.

Additionally, a white-collar crime does not have to be committed by a person in a corporation or even someone employed. The criminal may be a charming neighbor who cons an individual out of his or her retirement savings. Offenses like credit card theft or counterfeiting do not typically involve violence, but they do have a serious impact on individuals, society, and the economy.

A white-collar criminal defense attorney can provide a level of protection against the severity of the penalties associated with these types of charges.

February 22, 2019

Gun Laws in the State of Illinois

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A man was charged with attempted murder after a shootout in South Shore on the night of the Chicago mayoral election. 38-year-old Flamingo Jones was charged with attempted first-degree murder of a police officer. As stated by Cook County prosecutors, on February 26th at 7:30 p.m., police in plain clothes sitting in an unmarked cruiser were investigating an individual wanted on an arrest warrant. During the investigation, they saw Jones on the 7400 block of South Bennett Avenue.

Jones fled on foot after seeing the officers, who were wearing ballistic vests and badges that identified them as police. The officers gave chase, with one of them catching up to Jones. The officer saw Jones holding a firearm and ordered Jones to drop the weapon. Jones continued to run, jumping over a fence with the gun in hand.

According to Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini, the officer feared for his life and discharged his weapon but did not strike Jones. As he emerged from an alley, Jones aimed his weapon toward the officer, at which point the officer fired at Jones again. Jones fell to the ground and shot at the officer. He then fired at uniformed police as they arrived on the scene. The uniformed officers returned fire, shooting Jones in the feet.

February 20, 2019

How Chicago is Reducing the Rate of Violent Crime

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Many residents of Chicago and the surrounding area view violent crime as something completely out of their control. Fighting violent crime in Chicago takes the coordinated effort of police and residents of the city.

So far this year, shootings and homicides have a downward trend according to police. To date, there have been 44 homicides compared to 80 at this point in 2018. That is a decrease of 55%. In January and February of this year, there were 214 shootings. The first two months of 2018 experienced 282. The number of people who were shot decreased to 253 in 2019 from 345 last year. There have been 40% fewer homicides compared to the same period last year.

Though the numbers have been dropping, Chicago is still plagued with a disproportionate amount of crime when compared to many other cities around the country. A violent crimes defense lawyer will be able to help with your case if you have been charged or arrested.

February 15, 2019

How Criminal Sexual Assault is Defined in Illinois

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

An employee from the Waukegan School District was charged in late February with grooming and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, as stated by Chicago police and district officials.

26-year-old Gabriel Valadez was arrested at the administrative offices of Waukegan District 60. According to police, Valadez would chat with the girl using FaceTime. Authorities do not know how the accused met the girl, but their conversations took place through the app and online. Chicago Police Department policy prohibits providing information about victims, so they declined to mention where the girl was from.

Since 2007, Valadez worked in the district offices as an administrative assistant. He submitted his resignation a week after his arrest. District officials were quick to point out that Valadez was never assigned to work in their schools and had no direct contract with students. As a result, they did not provide any information about the situation to parents.

February 13, 2019

Components of a Federal Drug Crime

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A man from the northwest suburbs was recently charged with the illegal possession of guns and drugs. A judge denied bail for the 33-year-old for the crime. In a statement released by the Cook County Sheriff’s office, the Melrose Park resident has been charged with two counts for each of the following:

Unlawful use of a weapon by a felon
Drug possession and

February 8, 2019

Primary Defense Against Prostitution Charges

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

The owner of a massage parlor was arrested and charged with prostitution in an investigation launched by authorities in Wisconsin.

Undercover officers covertly investigated Asian Massage Reflexology in New Berlin, a city between Chicago and Milwaukee, after being informed that staff were engaging in sexual activity with clients in addition to the massages provided.

The owner, Jing Zhang, was charged with maintaining a place of prostitution. If convicted, she is facing a maximum sentence of six years in prison, according to court records.

February 6, 2019

Murder Rates in Chicago

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

On January 27, 2019, a man was charged with attempted murder after he shot a Chicago police officer. 32-year-old Swaleh Mohammed was arrested the night of January 26 and has been charged with six felonies. It is alleged that he shot a Chicago police officer in the officer’s protective vest when law enforcement was responding to a domestic dispute in the neighborhood of West Ridge.

Police were called to Swaleh’s home at approximately 6:45 p.m. and found him inside with a gun. He barricaded himself inside and, according to police, appeared to have some type of mental disability. He then shot at police who returned fire, but did not hit the suspect.

One of the responding officers was hit in his vest, but was unharmed. He was taken to the hospital and reported in good health.

February 1, 2019

Illinois Laws on Domestic Violence or Abuse

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

On January 21, an individual was arrested for allegedly kicking his girlfriend in the stomach and killing her unborn child.

A neighbor told police that she heard a woman screaming at approximately 3:30 in the morning on January 19 before calling authorities. A 19-year-old woman then informed law enforcement that she had severe pain in her stomach because her boyfriend kicked her multiple times after the two had an argument in their apartment.

After the altercation, the boyfriend, 22-year-old Kahlil Ellison, fled the scene but was swiftly apprehended and taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies. Authorities reported the argument was over a cell phone.

January 30, 2019

Former Elgin Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder and Aggravated Arson Charges

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A former Elgin resident has pled guilty to attempted murder and aggravated arson charges stemming from a 2017 incident. She was accused of entering her ex-boyfriend’s house in Roselle and then stabbing and attempting to suffocate a woman she found there. She then attempted to set the townhouse on fire. The woman she attacked and another man in the home were injured when they jumped out of a second floor window to avoid the fire that had been set. She then was accused of stealing a car to flee the scene. She has been held on $2 million bail since her arrest in July of 2017. She entered her plea in DuPage County court with the knowledge that she would be sentenced to 28 years in prison, according to The Daily Herald. At the time of her arrest, she was also facing additional charges of home invasion and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Attempted Murder in Illinois

Attempted murder in Illinois is a very serious charge. It is considered a Class X felony and is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog

What You May Not Know About Domestic Violence Laws in Illinois