Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog

July 26, 2023

Chicago Rapper to Plead Guilty to Using Stolen Credit Cards to Pay for Private Jets

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

A local Chicago rapper is going to plead guilty to using stolen credit cards to pay for private jet rides, luxury vehicles, and “designer” puppies. The charges were filed by the federal government in this case. The rapper is facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, according to the court filing. Officials say he is one of six codefendants in the case.

The rapper will plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and another count of making false statements. A wire fraud conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Prosecutors have filed paperwork affirming the agreement, but the judge still needs to sign off on the plea deal. Two counts of aggravated identity theft were dropped in negotiating the plea agreement.

Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

July 21, 2023

Two Face Charges After Chicago Officer’s Son Shot During Robbery

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

Two teenagers are facing charges after a Chicago police officer’s son was shot during a robbery. An 18-year-old and a 17-year-old allegedly held up a 22-year-old man at gunpoint at 1:48 am. The 17-year-old is alleged to have shot the victim, who turned out to be the son of a Chicago police officer. The victim was seriously injured in the attack. He is now listed in fair condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest. Both men have since been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted robbery with a firearm, one count of aggravated battery, and one count of attempted first-degree murder.

Robbery With a Firearm

Robbery is a theft crime but also a crime of violence. To prove robbery, the prosecution must establish that the defendant threatened the victim with force or actually used force in an attempt to take the victim’s belongings. In this case, the two used a gun to threaten and then shoot the victim. Robbery is considered a class-2 felony under Illinois and has a typical sentence of three to seven years.

July 19, 2023

Man Faces Federal Charges for Possession of a Pipe Bomb

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

A Marissa, IL, man is facing federal charges for constructing a destructive device (a pipe bomb). According to police, the man intended to use the pipe bomb to blow up his former wife’s vehicle. He admitted to lighting the device and throwing it at people who confronted him inside his trailer park in April. The device, however, failed to detonate. A second suspicious device was also located inside his trailer.

Possession of an unregistered destructive device is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.

Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device

July 14, 2023

Chicago Man Charged With Carjacking

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

A Chicago man has been charged with carjacking from an incident that occurred last March, according to a recent press release. The incident occurred in Mount Prospect, and Mount Prospect police initiated the arrest. According to the report, the incident occurred at 11 p.m. on March 19, 2022. A white Hyundai Santa Fe was stolen in the 1800 block of North Burning Bush Lane. The vehicle was recovered in Chicago three days later and was towed to Mount Prospect police headquarters. A stolen license plate was found affixed to the vehicle. The suspect was apprehended after fingerprint analysis on the license plate matched the suspect’s. The suspect’s bail was set at $200,000.

Vehicular Hijacking Charges

With the rise in carjackings all across the nation, authorities have been cracking down and filing charges against suspected carjackers. The State of Illinois takes carjacking very seriously. It is punishable by a sentence of either 4 to 15 years or when conditions can be considered aggravated, a term of 6 to 30 years. In some cases, carjacking charges can have enhancements that include the possibility of life in prison.

July 12, 2023

Chicago Amends “Ban the Box” Ordinance

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

Over the past decade, Chicago has placed restrictions on employers when they consider the criminal history of job applicants. These measures have been called “ban-the-box” ordinances. Chicago’s ordinance mirrored statewide requirements under the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act (JOQAA). On April 24, 2023, the City of Chicago passed substantial amendments to the ban-the-box ordinance, which is set to take effect immediately.

The purpose of the legislation is to prevent recidivism by giving those with criminal histories a better opportunity to find gainful employment and keep themselves out of trouble.

Prior Ban-the-Box Restrictions

July 7, 2023

Chicago Man Faces Felony Charges After Nurse Spots Gun in His Pants

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

A Chicago man is facing federal charges after a nurse spotted a gun protruding out of his pants. The defendant did not have a valid FOID card or a concealed carry permit. He was taken to the hospital after a car accident. He is now facing several weapons charges related to the illegal possession of a weapon. His bond was set at $60,000, but he did not show up for a court appearance on June 24. His bond was reset at $100,000, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

According to the report, a nurse called hospital security when she spotted the gun in the defendant’s pants. The gun was confiscated and placed into a safe. Police were notified. The 9mm handgun was found to have seven rounds of ammunition. This is standard protocol for a hospital when they find a gun on a person. The hospital is not a great place to bring a gun. Because the defendant has two prior weapons-related convictions, he was charged with being an armed habitual criminal in possession of a weapon.

Armed Habitual Criminal in Possession of a Weapon Charges

July 5, 2023

13 Men Facing Charges Related to Drug Trafficking

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

Federal authorities announced charges against 13 men for operating an “open-air” drug market in which they sold fentanyl-laced heroin and cocaine. They have since been charged with drug trafficking related to the sale and manufacture of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. The men are suspected to be members of the Traveling Vice Lords gang. Authorities say they ran a multi-year investigation into the crew executing search warrants at multiple locations where the drugs were sold. Multiple locations throughout Chicago and Chicago suburbs were targeted as part of the investigation.

Authorities seized more than a kilo of cocaine, more than 250 grams of heroin containing fentanyl, 10 firearms, two 50-round drum ammunition magazines, several extended ammunition magazines, and nine vehicles.

What is an “Open-Air” Drug Market?

June 30, 2023

Charges Dropped Against Mother and Son After Shooting

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

Charges have been dropped against a mother and her son in the shooting death of a man at a restaurant. Surveillance footage shows the man punching the woman before the woman’s son pulled her gun and shot him. The woman had a concealed carry license and was a FOID card holder at the time of the shooting. The mother and son had been charged with first-degree murder, and the mother was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. However, when footage emerged that the man was the aggressor, Cook County prosecutors decided to drop all the charges against them.

What Happened?

The mother was in line ordering food at a restaurant when she was approached by the victim. An argument ensues between the victim and the mother, and the victim throws a punch at the mother. The son, who had the gun on his person, pulls it from a front hoodie pocket and shoots the victim after he threw the punch at his mother.

June 28, 2023

Chicago Pharmacist Convicted of Selling Blank Vax Cards on eBay

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

A Chicago pharmacist has been convicted of stealing and then selling blank COVID-19 vaccination cards on eBay. The announcement came from the Justice Department, which claimed that the pharmacist stole CDC-issued vaccination cards and made them available to eBay users across the country. The Justice Department claims that over three weeks, the pharmacist listed over 650 vaccination cards on the online marketplace. They claim he sold the cards to over 200 individual buyers and pocketed more than $5,600 due to the illicit sales.

The government was able to present evidence of the transactions and correspondence sent between the pharmacist and buyers. The pharmacist was convicted of 12 counts of theft of government property.

His attorney plans to appeal the verdict, claiming that the cards were not government property and that the government never exerted any control over them to make them their property. Instead, The government made the cards available to pharmacies like Walgreens, which distributed the cards after patients received COVID-19 vaccinations. In other words, the government exerted no supervision over the cards. They only printed them and then distributed them to pharmacies.

June 23, 2023

Police Seargent Found Not Guilty After Pinning Teen to Sidewalk

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

In an incident that was reminiscent of the murder of George Floyd, a Chicago police sergeant was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct after pinning a 14-year-old boy to the sidewalk while off duty. During a bench trial, the sergeant was found not guilty of the charges, although he remains on leave after having his police duties stripped. The family says they plan on filing a civil lawsuit in the case.

A viral video of the incident made its way across social media, stoking animosity toward the sergeant and police in general. The sergeant could be seen with his knee on the boy’s back. The boy was face down, lying on the ground.

According to reports, the officer believed that his son’s stolen bicycle was spotted near a Starbucks. The officer found the bicycle near a group of teens and waited to see if anyone would take it. The 14-year-old touched the bicycle to move it, and that is when the officer confronted him. The officer grabbed the teen, placed him in an arm bar, and pushed him to the ground. Then he placed his knee on the teen’s back.