Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- As we stated in a previous report, the last half of December 2022 was unusually busy for police in Park Forest. In these three reports from December 22 through 28, arrests included contributing to the delinquency of a minor, theft, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and aggravated speeding.
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
Amari M. Johnson, 19, 4117 Clark Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on December 22 and charged with possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, driving while license was suspended, and expired registration. An officer was on patrol when she observed a red Chevy driving southbound on Western Avenue from Sycamore Drive that had an expired registration, according to police. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the 23600 block of South Western Avenue. The officer smelled a very strong odor of burnt cannabis coming from inside the vehicle which got stronger as she got closer to the vehicle. The officer spoke to the driver, later identified as Amari Johnson. After conducting a name check, the officer learned that Mr. Johnson’s driver’s license was suspended, according to police. The officer asked Johnson about the odor of cannabis and he stated that he had smoked in the vehicle earlier in the day, according to police. As Mr. Johnson was only 19 years old, he was under the current legal age to use cannabis, according to police. There was also a 17-year-old passenger in the car. When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, Johnson allegedly said he did have some cannabis, according to police. Inside the vehicle, the officer located two scales in the center console which she observed to be consistent with the weighing of drugs for distribution purposes, according to police. In the glove box, the officer located two clear bags which were not ownerless, not childproof, and did not contain a dispensary label. The bags were filled with a green leafy substance, suspect cannabis, according to police. The officer also located two black ski masks in the front seat of the vehicle near a USB charger, according to police. The officer placed Mr. Johnson under arrest on suspicion of possession of cannabis with the intent to distribute and allegedly driving on a suspended license, according to police.
Theft
Rene Acuna, 22, 324 Todd St., Park Forest, was arrested on December 29 and charged with theft and possession of a stolen motor vehicle after an officer was dispatched to the Park Forest Police Department on December 23 to investigate a delayed theft complaint.
The complainant told police she was missing a blue Bosch drill and a blue electric sonic hedgehog Segway toy she purchased on Amazon for about $120. The complainant said that the Segway had been delivered about four days before this call for service, according to police. The complainant alleged that Rene Acuna had stolen from her before, which prompted her to search his bedroom, according to police. While searching, she found a receipt from a pawnshop in Chicago Heights with a QR code. She scanned the code and discovered that the Bosch drill had been pawned under Mr. Acuna’s name for approximately $30 cash, according to police. The complainant also found the destroyed box for the Segway she ordered. However, the Segway was not in the box, according to police.
Aggravated Speeding
Qwentin E. Lackey, 20, 1102 Abbot Lane, University Park, was arrested on December 28 and charged with resisting a peace officer, aggravated speeding, driving with a suspended driver’s license, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle when officers on patrol in the area of Sauk Trail and Shabbona Drive saw a dark colored vehicle at 11:01 PM allegedly traveling westbound on Sauk Trail from Indianwood Boulevard at a high rate of speed.
Using the radar in their squad car, police determined that the vehicle was traveling at 71 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to the report.
Police pursued and caught up with the vehicle once it was stopped at the traffic signal at Sauk Trail and Central Park Avenue, according to police. The officer driving activated the squad’s emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle pulled into the Mobile Gas Station at 3600 Sauk Trail in Richton Park.
Police were unable to determine how many people were inside the vehicle. The front driver and passenger side windows were rolled down but not the rear windows, according to police.
Police ordered the driver and passenger in the front seats to keep their hands up and roll down the back windows, according to police. The men kept their hands up, but Mr. Lackey, the driver, did not roll down the back windows, according to police. During the encounter, Mr. Lackey allegedly became argumentative and uncooperative with officers, according to police. Mr. Lackey allegedly ignored officers’ commands to exit the vehicle, according to police.
The report states that police had to remove Mr. Lackey from the vehicle physically.
While attempting to place Mr. Lackey into handcuffs, Mr. Lackey allegedly tensed his arms in an effort to “defeat the arrest,” according to the report.
Police released the passenger without charges.
About Police Reports
Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those police arrested and charged committed any offenses. We report on what is in the reports that the police furnish to us. As those accused are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.
eNews Park Forest has continuously published the 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 charged, including their name, age, and address. This information is necessary to ensure the proper identity of those arrested.
Presumption of Innocence
An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. The law presumes all those whom police arrest are innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest not to remove items from the public record from publication. Suppose you find your name in the police reports. Our policy is that 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.
We do not strike, “unpublish,” or delete news.
Police captured all the incidents in this report on body-worn and dash-mounted cameras by officers at the respective scenes, according to police. All Park Forest police officers wear body-worn cameras. Officials typically abbreviate these devices as BWC in the reports.
We encourage persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters, including narcotics or gang activity, to call the Park Forest Police Department Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.
