Felony

September 8, 2023

Chicago Wrongly Places Felonies on the Records of Those in Diversion Programs

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

The City of Chicago has been wrongly placing felonies on the records of those in diversion programs. Having a felony on your record can make it difficult to find housing or apply for a job. In one case, a man who was identified as Malcolm in an article published by the Chicago Sun-Times lost his job because his employer found out about a felony on his record. However, he had only been arrested for a low-level crime and pleaded it down as part of a diversion program.

In many cases, these were people who were promised a clean record if they successfully completed a diversion program. Malcolm had a good job and was proud that he was able to provide for his children. He was offered a diversion program as part of a felony case and promised that he would have a clean record if he completed the diversion program. Instead, the felony popped up on his record and cost him his job. He was shocked. As it turns out, Cook County had wrongly been placing felonies on the records of those who completed diversion programs over the past three years.

Malcolm became homeless as a result of losing his job. He began sleeping in doorways after he could no longer pay his rent.

March 30, 2022

Chicago Man Faces Charges for Ramming Police Vehicle

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

A Chicago area man is facing multiple felonies in Michigan after he showed up at a rural parochial school for unknown reasons. Police were called to the school, but the man had already left. He was found later at a local McDonald’s. Police confronted the man and asked for identification. The man said his ID was in his vehicle, but when he got back inside, he drove his car directly into the police SUV and drove off. Eventually, the vehicle skidded off the road and the driver abandoned it. The suspect took off on foot where he was eventually apprehended. He is now facing multiple felonies related to assault with a vehicle on an officer. He is facing a separate charge of driving with an altered or forged driver’s license.

No one, however, knows why the man was in rural Michigan at the time. The man has no ties to the local community and appears to be entirely out of sorts with his environment. Nonetheless, he did use a motor vehicle to strike a police vehicle with a police officer inside it. So, despite the fact that he may be fighting off an undiagnosed mental illness, he will face consequences for those actions.

What are his chances of pursuing an insanity defense?

August 20, 2021

Chicago Pharmacist Accused of Selling Vax Cards on eBay

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

eBay has become a haven for sports card enthusiasts and other collectors acting as a veritable stock exchange for valuable collectibles. However, not everything that happens on eBay is legal. For example, if you place a bid on your own item or bid up items you have no intention of purchasing, you are committing a felony known as shill bidding. As another example, if you try to sell vaccination cards on eBay, you can be charged with 12 counts of stealing government property.

Chicago pharmacist Tangtang Zhao sold 125 vaccination cards to 11 buyers for about $10 per card. While not quite as lucrative as a Mantle rookie, Zhao pulled in roughly $1,000 from the fraud and will now face charges before a federal magistrate.

When discussing the charges, federal authorities were appalled at the low price Zhao got for the vaccination cards. According to a spokesperson for the FBI, “To put such a small price on the safety of our nation is not only an insult to those who are doing their part in the fight to stop COVID-19, but a federal crime with serious consequences.”

March 24, 2021

The Death of Irony: Use of Force Instructor Charged in Off-Duty Shooting

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

A Chicago police officer who instructed other Chicago police officers in the use of force was recently arrested in relation to an off-duty police shooting. The officer shot the man in the hand. 39-year-old Kevin Bunge is charged with aggravated battery and the unlawful use of a weapon. Both are felonies. Bunge was held on a $10,000 bond.

Police say that Bunge was on his way home from the police academy where he taught when a vehicle pulled up behind him. Bunge was parked, listening to a book on tape when the vehicle approached. The two men were going to meet a friend. The one man was providing directions to the other man using Google Maps. The driver did not believe that the directions were accurate, so they pulled their vehicle over.

At this point, Bunge exited his vehicle with his gun and his badge. Although neither man was armed, Bunge fired into the vehicle. Both men inside the vehicle have filed a personal injury lawsuit against Bunge. Meanwhile, Bunge is facing criminal charges related to the incident.

January 1, 2021

Police Say Suspect Grabbed for an Officer’s Gun

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

A man who was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery grabbed for the arresting officer’s gun, police say. Unsurprisingly, Mario Castro appeared before the criminal court judge with a black eye and his arm in a sling. The judge entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of the defendant and assigned him a public defender.

According to the police report, Castro body-slammed his girlfriend and punched her in the face over an argument concerning a phone. Police were called to the home at 7:30 p.m. The victim told police that Castro made “rude comments” about her children so she demanded that he leave. She told police that Castro responded by body-slamming her in front of her children.

Castro left the apartment before police arrived but returned later and the police were called again. At about 8:10 p.m., they arrived at the scene, again too late. This time, Castro had taken the woman’s cellphone and punched her in the face. Castro came back a third time, and police found him hiding in a pantry closet. Castro was asked to step out and did but he pulled away from police when they asked him to put his hands behind his back. Castro was taken down, still struggling. He managed to grab a gun magazine and strike the officer in the arm with it. He then attempted to remove the gun from the officer’s holster but was repelled in the attempt. Eventually, the police tased Castro, but the taser was not enough to prevent him from continuing to struggle. Eventually, police were able to get him in handcuffs, but Castro continued to struggle, so they sprayed him with pepper spray.

September 23, 2020

Man Known as “Dreadhead Cowboy” Faces Animal Cruelty Charge

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

A man known as “Dreadhead Cowboy” is facing felony charge of animal cruelty after riding his horse down the Dan Ryan Expressway on Monday. The cowboy, whose real name is Adam Hollingsworth, is facing one count of aggravated animal cruelty.

Hollingsworth was facing charges of using a non-highway vehicle on the highway, obstruction of traffic, criminal trespass, disobeying an officer, and reckless conduct.

Dreadhead was riding his horse up and down the highway yelling “kids lives matter.” for some reason. This appears to be a part of the QAnon conspiracy that has blossomed in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein suicide. Numerous motorcycles and other vehicles flanked the cowboy as he did his thing.

July 24, 2020

Derek Chauvin Facing Tax Evasion Charges

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

The man whose videotaped murder of a defenseless detainee resulted in several months’ worth of protests is now facing felony tax evasion charges. Chauvin will now face charges of second-degree murder and multiple felony counts of tax evasion.

Chauvin and his wife are accused of hiding income streams on their taxes including more than $95,000 in income from his side job providing security.

Is His Wife Also Guilty?

August 24, 2018

Restoring Your Life and Reputation Following a Felony Conviction

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

If you are facing a felony charge in Chicago, you are likely worried that your life will be turned upside down, and rightfully so. There is no way to pinpoint what is going to happen if the case goes to trial and you wind up with a conviction and subsequent sentence. The even more unlikely assumption is what will happen to you once you have served your time. How will you assimilate back into society? Will your friends and family accept you with open arms? Here are some tips for restoring your life and reputation following a felony conviction.

Narrow Employment Search

One of the first things you need to do once you are released from prison is begin your search for employment. Depending on the crime you were convicted of, it could very well leave you with a narrow search. For example, if you committed any type of white collar crime, you likely will not be able to get a job in the banking, finance, or securities industries. If you committed a sexual offense, you will not be able to work in the education field.

August 17, 2018

How Will a Felony Conviction Change My Life?

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

When you are facing felony charges in Chicago, you will likely be scared about what is to come. Even if you have been charged with a crime in the past, facing a felony charge can be life changing. A felony conviction can lead to years in prison, thousands of dollars in fines, restitution, and many other penalties. Even after you have served your time, you could very well still struggle to return to a normal life. Today, we will take a look at how a felony conviction can change your life.

Post-Conviction

Once your trial is complete and you are found guilty of the felonious crime, you will begin your post-conviction life. This is one of the more difficult parts of life as a convicted felon. This part of your life starts with sentencing. You could very well wind up with the maximum recommended sentence from the judge. Or, you could be sentenced to a handful of years in prison. The judge will take into account statements made by the plaintiff, the victim’s family, and any statement you make.

January 20, 2017

Felonies in Chicago: Elevating the Consequences of Criminality

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

The felony charge sits just below terrorism and treason when ranking the criminal offenses that are known in the Chicago statues. It is a step up from the misdemeanor and carries a lot of serious consequences for the defendant including the loss of their liberty and a debilitating criminal record. As a rule of thumb, an offense becomes a felony if it is capable of attracting a punishment that exceeds one year in jail. Some jurisdictions have gone as far as setting mandatory sentencing for certain felonies in order to control the court process in such a way as not to dent public confidence in the system. Others have classified obsolete felonies as being non-prosecutable.

There is considerable public debate as to whether the classification of felonies is appropriate for this century. For a start, the idea of a permanent criminal record might sound good in terms of retribution and public safety. However, the reality is that people who are unable to find work will inevitably turn back to crime, which means that the vicious circle will never end. Nevertheless, the trial judge tends to take into consideration a number of factors at the sentence hearing including:

Previous known criminality,