Law and Order, Local Police Reports, Park Forest

Battery and Mob Action for Alleged Paintball Shooters: Police Reports Through March 19, 2019


Officer Tim Jones, #TIMSTRONG, officers
Officer Tim Jones #TIMSTRONG recently stopped by the Park Forest Police Department for a visit. “Our day always gets better when Officer Jones stops in for a visit!” police said when releasing the photo. (Photo: PFPD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- These police reports include arrests through March 19, 2019. Charges for those arrested include battery, mob action, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and forgery. One report is an account of alleged paintball shooters who were arrested after allegedly shooting someone in the Lincolnwood area of town.

Providing more details than readers will find in any other police beat reports, we invite readers to subscribe to get the whole story, every day.

eNews Park Forest has always published addresses of those arrested and will continue to do so. 5 ILCS 140/2.15 states that the governmental body (for these reports, the Police Department), shall release information on those who have been charged, including their name, age, and address. This information is necessary to ensure the proper identity of those arrested.

An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. All those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest to not remove items in the public record from publication. If your name is listed in the police reports, we will only add information relevant to the final disposition of the case at hand, e.g. “Mr. Smith was subsequently acquitted,” “Mr. Smith entered a guilty plea,” or “All charges against Mr. Smith were subsequently dropped.” We will do so upon receiving and verifying proof of such disposition.

Persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters including narcotics or gang activity are encouraged to call the Park Forest Police DepartmentInvestigations Division at (708) 748-1309.

eNews Park Forest reports this information because the public in the United States has the right to know.  When that information is withheld or under-reported, it leaves questions.  We also want to show the work that the police force does every day that is not reported.  Police in Park Forest respond to thousands of calls per year, the vast majority of which do not end up with arrests.  Whether it’s conducting a routine investigation, pulling over a drunk driver, or responding to a possible theft at a store, the work of the police officer deserves acknowledgment by the public.

Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm

Charles E. Jones III, 29, 43 Elm St., Park Forest, was arrested on March 3 and charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 2 felony, after police were dispatched to Warwick Court at 1:45 AM to investigate a report of a disturbance. While police were on their way, dispatch or told them that the complainant stated that her son allegedly had a gun and fired at a vehicle that attempted to run him over. Dispatch advised officers that they were receiving calls of shots fired from nearby residences.

When police arrived, they spoke with a man who was standing in front of his own vehicle. The man was irate and yelling, according to police. Police informed him that he was being detained for investigative purposes. He was handcuffed and placed into the rear of a squad vehicle. Officers asked SouthCom Dispatch to call the complainant and tell her to have her and her son step out of the residence unarmed. Subsequently, a woman and Charles E. Jones III stepped out of the residence. Mr. Jones was also detained for further investigation.

Police observed that the vehicle the first man was standing by had a bullet hole on the driver’s side rear door and also observed that the driver’s side rear tire was flat. Police also found two spent showcasing’s in the street near the center of the court. Additionally, they found a piece of metal that was consistent with the jacket of a bullet.

Police spoke with the complainant who said that her daughter and the first man whose car was struck by bullets, her boyfriend, were having an argument. The complainant said that the first man was holding the woman by the arm and yelling at her and that she was going to call the police. However, the first man eventually let the woman go and she left the area for the evening, according to police. The complainant stated that later in the evening the first man came to her residence and was banging on the door demanding to speak with her about her daughter. She stated that she and Mr. Jones told him to leave numerous times but he refused.

The woman said her son, Mr. Jones, allegedly left the residence with his weapon, a Smith and Wesson handgun, to confront the man outside. She said Mr. Jones and the man began fighting in between the vehicles in the driveway and at that time she called 911. While she was on the phone with dispatchers she could not see either man but she heard three gunshots fired in the street, according to police.

The man allegedly involved in the altercation with Mr. Jones told police that he went to that residence to speak with the complainant about her daughter and as he was knocking on the front door, Mr. Jones stepped out of the residence from a side door and approached him with a pistol.

The man said Mr. Jones instructed him to get on the ground which he did and at that point, Mr. Jones allegedly put the weapon to the man’s head.

The man stated that he and Mr. Jones began to fight and he eventually got up and ran to his vehicle and drove around the circle. He said that he forgot his jacket so he stopped back and that was when officers arrived on the scene. This incident was turned over to a detective for further investigation and Mr. Jones was subsequently charged.

Battery, Banned from Store

Chiedu H. Nwaokai, 31, 3442 Western Ave., Park Forest, was arrested on March 11 and issued a municipal ticket charging battery when police were dispatched to Walgreens, 15 S. Orchard Drive, in reference to a report of a customer dispute. Mr. Nwaokai was also banned from Walgreens. According to police, dispatchers advised that a man allegedly pushed an employee.

Dispatchers provided a description of the alleged suspect and when officers arrived they saw a white four-door sedan with a front seat passenger, later identified as Chiedu H. Nwaokai, who matched the description, according to police. Police curbed the vehicle on Lakewood Boulevard at Forest Boulevard and another officer arrived on the scene to assist.

According to police, the employee said that she was assisting a customer at the photo desk requested to purchase a pack of cigarettes. She walked from the photo desk to the rear of the checkout counter adjacent to the entry and exit doors and retrieve the pack of cigarettes. As she walked back to the photo counter, an unknown man, later identified as Mr. Nwaokai, walked up to her, allegedly placed both his hands on her body, and pushed her backward, according to police. The employee said she fell backward into a display that was on the floor.

She said she doesn’t know the man nor did she have any interaction with him in the store that they that would prompt the alleged pushing, according to police.

The employee reported pain on the left side of her body but refused medical attention. She stated that she wished to sign a complaint against Mr. Nwaokai and signed a municipal citation accordingly. Mr. Nwaokai later told officers that he did not wish to talk and refused to sign the citation and that his mother could sign on his behalf.

Felony Forgery, Felony Forgery Possession

Nathaniel F. Johnson Jr., 23, 781 Buffalo Ave., Calumet City, was arrested on March 14 and charged with one felony count of forgery with the intent to deliver and three felony counts of forgery possession when police responded to the Dollar General, 10 Main Street, at 4:10 PM to investigate a report of forgery. While they were en route, SouthCom Dispatch advised police that there was a man in the store who had allegedly passed a counterfeit $20 bill earlier in the day.

When police arrived, they spoke with a store manager who related that a man, later identified as Nathaniel Johnson Jr., entered the store earlier in the day around 11:30 AM and attempted to purchase a cigarillo pack for $1.85. Mr. Johnson allegedly presented a $20 bill and received $18.15 in return. The cashier accepted the currency and placed it in the register. As Mr. Johnson was making the exchange, he asked about possible employment at the store. The manager overheard the conversation. As Mr. Johnson walked out of the store, the manager looked at Mr. Johnson’s jacket and recognized it from a previous case where a fake $100 bill was allegedly passed in November 2017.

As the manager pulled up the photo of the suspect from that case, she positively identified that subject as Mr. Johnson and that Mr. Johnson was wearing the same jacket, according to police.

The manager asked a clerk to count and checked the register for fake currency. The clerk immediately observed that the $20 bill used by Mr. Johnson had tape around the middle of the bill. “Copy Money” was written twice on the front and “SPECIMEN” was written on the back of the bill, according to police. When Mr. Johnson returned to the store at approximately 4 PM the manager called the police.

When police arrived, they told Mr. Johnson that he was suspected in passing a counterfeit bill earlier in the day. Mr. Johnson allegedly told police that he was in the store earlier but used a $20 bill that his girlfriend had given him to buy a Black and Mild cigarillo pack. Mr. Johnson allegedly denied knowing that the money he used was fake.

One of the officers conducted a patdown of Mr. Johnson. As the officer was conducting the patdown, Mr. Johnson allegedly started to place his hands near his wallet, according to police. Officers immediately grabbed Mr. Johnson’s hands and he was placed in handcuffs for officer safety until the patdown was complete, according to police. An officer asked Mr. Johnson if there was any money inside his wallet and he replied that there was, according to police. The officer asked Mr. Johnson if there was any money in his wallet that was not supposed to be in his wallet, to which Mr. Johnson replied, “yes there is.” The officer asked why Mr. Johnson was not truthful earlier about having fake bills to which Mr. Johnson related that he found the money near the co-op units behind CVS Pharmacy, 1 Main St., according to police.

An officer examined the contents of the wallet and located two similar $20 bills with the same serial number and a single $100 bill that had a ripped corner and the word, “Gecersizdir” printed on the front and back. The word “Gecersizdir” is a Turkish word that translates “Not Valid, Invalid, or Non Negotiable.”

Police also located inside Mr. Johnson’s wallet three credit cards with the names of different people on them. At this point, Mr. Johnson allegedly stated that he did, in fact, know the money was fake but continued to state that he found the money near CVS. When asked about the credit cards, Mr. Johnson replied that one belonged to his mother and the other two belonged to his girlfriends.

Police placed him under arrest and transported him to the Park Forest Police Department.

Warrant, Obstructing Identification

Kenneth R. Bell, 26, 3615 W. 215th St., Matteson, was arrested on March 16 and processed on a warrant out of DuPage County and charged with obstructing identification. Regarding the obstructing identification charge, Mr. Bell was issued a court date at Markham Courthouse on April 2, 2019. Mr. Bell was also issued a municipal citation charging an unattended vehicle with an optional local court date of April 9, 2019, at the Park Forest Police Department.

Police responded to the 7-Eleven, at 425 Sauk Trail, to conduct a business check at approximately 2:28 AM. Police observed a green Chevrolet Avalanche parked facing south in a parking stall in front of the business. The vehicle was running but unoccupied, according to police. Officers observed that keys were in the vehicle’s ignition and the doors to the vehicle were unlocked.

A man, later identified as Kenneth Bell, exited the business and identified himself as the driver of the Chevrolet. Police informed Mr. Bell of the local ordinance regarding running and unattended vehicles. Police requested that Mr. Bell furnish his driver’s license or identification card. Mr. Bell allegedly told police that he did not possess any identification but provided the name Kenneth T. Bell.

An officer conducted a LEADS inquiry through SouthCom Dispatch and learned that there was no record of Kenneth T. Bell on file, according to police. Police continued to speak with Mr. Bell who allegedly told them that his actual name was Kenneth Trevel Romeo Wesley, but that his last name was changed to Bell when he was adopted.

SouthCom Dispatch notified officers that they located a Kenneth R. Bell and that he had an active an extraditable warrant out of DuPage County on a charge of retail theft.

Eventually, Mr. Bell confirmed that his real name was Kenneth R. Bell, according to police. Police informed him that he had a warrant and placed him in handcuffs. As Mr. Bell was handcuffed, he allegedly acknowledged that he was aware of the warrant, according to police.

Police conducted a custodial search of Mr. Bell and located and Illinois driver’s license in the front right pocket of his pants, according to police, despite Mr. Bell allegedly telling police multiple times that he did not possess any identification.

Mr. Bell’s vehicle was towed from the scene.

Misdemeanor Domestic Battery

Latorya H. Harris, 37, 316 Springfield St., Park Forest, was arrested on March 16 and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery and two counts of resisting arrest when police were dispatched to the 300 block of Springfield Street at 1:56 PM to investigate a report of an alleged domestic battery in progress. SouthCom Dispatch that a juvenile called alleging that a family member had attacked him, allegedly scratching his neck while attempting to tear his shirt from his body, according to police.

When police arrived, they could hear a woman inside yelling and using profanity. The woman, Latorya Harris, opened the door to allow officers to enter the residence but she allegedly continued yelling profanities at a male juvenile standing inside, according to police.

Ms. Harris allegedly would not follow officers’ instructions, according to police.

When police separated the two, an officer observed that the juvenile had skin abrasions on both the left and right sides of his neck. The juvenile also had abrasions on the left side of his cheek directly under his nose, according to police. All of the skin abrasions were fresh and bleeding, according to police.

According to Ms. Harris, she told the juvenile to clean the bathroom. He had done so but it was not cleaned correctly, according to police.

According to the juvenile, Ms. Harris allegedly struck him several times in the face with a closed fist. He stated that he defended himself by attempting to physically push Ms. Harris away, according to police. At one point, Ms. Harris allegedly used her fingernails to scratch the inside of the juvenile’s mouth, according to police.

Police contacted DCFS and were advised that an investigator would be responding to conduct an investigation within the next 24 hours, according to police. Ms. Harris was arrested, charged, and placed in a holding cell pending transport to Markham Courthouse for a bond hearing, according to police.

Battery, Mob Action

Xavier M. Allen, 21, 213 Shea Dr., Chicago Heights, was arrested on March 19 and charged with battery and mob action after police were dispatched to the area of Illinois Street and New Sale and Street to investigate a report of battery that had allegedly just occurred. Mr. Allen was a passenger in a vehicle.

A caller told SouthCom Dispatch at 6:59 PM that she had just been shot in the face by a paintball that came from a black Chevrolet Impala which was last seen traveling eastbound on Illinois Street.

The driver of the vehicle, Quavon D. Bailey, 22, 12015 S. LaSalle St., Chicago, was arrested and charged with mob action. Mr. Bailey was also issued a municipal citation charging possession of drug paraphernalia. Another passenger in the vehicle, Ilias L. Sullivan, 22, 6607 S. Albany Ave., Chicago, was arrested and charged with battery and mob action. In addition, Mr. Sullivan was issued a municipal citation charging possession of cannabis. A third passenger in the vehicle, Dion Bobo, 22, 1181 Janice Dr., Sauk Village, was arrested and charged with mob action. All four were assigned a court date of April 24, 2019, at the Markham Courthouse.

According to police, an officer traveling south on Western Avenue near North Street observed a vehicle matching the description of the alleged offending vehicle. The officer curbed the vehicle in the 2500 block of Western Avenue. Other officers arrived shortly thereafter to assist. The vehicle was occupied by four subjects.

Police also found a paintball gun loaded with blue paintballs in the backseat of the vehicle.

The alleged victim told police that she was walking east on Illinois Street with her earphones in listening to music. As she crossed New Salem Street, she was struck in the right side of her face with a projectile and then struck again in the right forearm. She looked up and saw a black Chevrolet Impala driving away from the area with the rear driver’s side window rolled down.

She looked at her clothing and noticed that she had blue paint on her and pieces of a paintball shell.

According to police, her right cheek was badly swollen and her right forearm had a large welt.

While on the scene, officers learned that the Illinois State Police previously put out an Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network (ISPERN) dispatch that a vehicle matching the description of the one in Park Forest was seen shooting a paintball gun while driving southbound on Interstate 57 and was last seen exiting on Flossmoor Road at 6:35 PM. An officer provided the alleged victim to where the Impala had been curbed and she “positively identified the stopped Impala as the vehicle that she saw when she was struck by the paintballs,” according to the report.

The occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody and transported to the Park Forest Police Department.

During a search of Mr. Sullivan’s person, an officer located a sandwich bag containing suspect cannabis in Mr. Sullivan’s pants.

Among items police found inside the vehicle, were:

  • A Tippmann brand “Cronus” semi-automatic paintball gun with ball hopper and CO2 tank attached. The gun hopper was loaded with blue paintballs.
  • The original retail box for the paintball gun.
  • A “JT” brand paintball mask.
  • M-150 firecrackers.
  • A box of .45 caliber ammunition.
  • A small digital scale containing suspect cannabis residue.
  • Two counterfeit $100 bills with identical serial numbers.

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