In the state of Illinois, a person cannot be taken into police custody without some sort of evidence or reasonable suspicion that he or she was involved in a crime. In fact, people are legally allowed to walk away from a police officer unless they have been formally detained. If the officer prevents a person from leaving, that person has only been legally taken into custody if the officer had probable cause.
I-70 traffic stop leads to police seizure of cash and heroin
Illinois State Police pulled over a vehicle with two women, ages 47 and 19, on Interstate 70 by Collinsville because of driving with an obstructed view. As the owner of the 2013 Volkswagen CC, the 47-year-old woman consented to a police search of the car. A state trooper reported finding a hidden compartment where six duct-taped packages allegedly holding heroin were stowed. The packages weighed four kilograms. Police estimate the value of the seized substance at approximately $500,000.
Rapper Chief Keef charged with drug possession
Media outlets have reported that Chicago rapper Keith Cozart, who is better known by his stage name Chief Keef, was taken into custody on drug possession charges on June 12. Reports indicate that Cozart was apprehended at about 8:30 a.m. at Sioux Falls Regional Airport in South Dakota after Transportation Security Administration agents discovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his carry-on luggage. The hip-hop star was transported to the Minnehaha County Jail after being booked, but he was subsequently released after posting a $2,000 bond.
Alleged gang members arrested on weapons and drug charges
A joint federal and state investigation has led to the arrest of almost 50 members of a street gang in Illinois. They are alleged to have been involved in an extended criminal enterprise involving drugs and weapons.
Traffic stop results in arrests
Two people were arrested after a traffic stop on April 2, 2017, in Bolingbrook, Illinois, on drug and weapon charges. According to a Bolingbrook Police lieutenant, at 8 p.m., a black Ford pickup truck was pulled over for a vehicle registration violation near I-55 and Route 53. During the traffic stop, the officers discovered that there was an active arrest warrant on the passenger, a 45-year-old man from Missouri.
2 charged with drug crimes following apartment raid
On April 1, law enforcement authorities in Illinois stated that a large amount of marijuana and crack cocaine was recovered during a drug raid. The raid was carried out by a unit of the Evanston Police Department at an apartment located on the 2600 block of Central Street.
Star of HBO hit series facing drug charges
Illinois residents may know the comedian, actor and author Artie Lange best for his work on the Howard Stern radio show, and they could be aware that the 49-year-old entertainer has struggled with substance abuse issues in the past and attempted to take his own life in 2010. Lange's career appeared to be on an upward trajectory when his HBO show 'Crashing" premiered in February to positive reviews, but the actor's fortunes took a negative turn on March 12 when he was taken into custody on drug charges by police in New Jersey.
Study indicates racial bias in convictions
Illinois residents may be interested to learn about a study completed by the National Registry of Exonerations that indicates that African Americans are far more likely to be wrongfully convicted of crimes than whites. Researchers looked at cases from 1989 to 2016, and they discovered that 47 percent of individuals exonerated for crimes were African-American, which is three times their representation in the U.S. population.
Illinois man facing felony drug charges after accident
Police say that a 39-year-old Cook County man was under the influence of marijuana, heroin and the prescription antidepressant Xanax when he was involved in an automobile accident on the evening of Dec. 23 in Riverside. The crash took place on Harlem Avenue near 29th Street at approximately 6:30 p.m. The man is facing a raft of felony charges including driving under the influence of drugs and possession of heroin.
Nurse gets probation in pill-stealing case
An Illinois nurse who pleaded guilty to taking drugs that were meant for nursing home residents was sentenced on Dec. 6 to complete two years of probation, attend a substance abuse program and do 30 hours of community service. The woman had earlier entered a guilty plea to a charge of unlawfully acquiring a controlled substance on Nov. 30.
