Chicago DEA head Jack Riley to outline new strategies for
addressing violent gang-related crimes in Chicago
CHICAGO, Nov. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
Chicago Crime Commission will hold its Stars of Distinction,
2012 Awards Dinner tonight to recognize outstanding individual
and organizational contributions in fighting crime. Drug
Enforcement Administration, Chicago Field Division Special Agent in
Charge, Mr. Jack Riley will be the
keynote speaker at the event. Riley will discuss the
formation of the new Chicago Strike Force, comprised of federal,
state and local law enforcement, and their plans for addressing
violent gang-related crime in Chicago. Specifically, SAC
Riley will outline their strategy for focusing on the choke point
where drug cartel and gang members interact.
The program will feature eight awards presented to individuals
and the organizations they serve in recognition of their
outstanding work in law enforcement. The Chicago Crime
Commission will also present the fifth annual Mitchell A. Mars
Prosecutorial Excellence Award to Will
County State's Attorney James
Glasgow for his efforts in the successful prosecution of the
Drew Peterson case.
Additionally, a highlight of the evening will be the
presentation of the Paws of Distinction K-9 Unit Award to DEA
Special Agent Robert Glynn and his
canine partner Rudy for law enforcement excellence.
"The recipients of the Stars of Distinction awards
exemplify the commitment of all law enforcement in their efforts to
fight crime in Chicago. While gang members and other
criminals provide an unending threat to our safety and security, it
is important to recognize the heroes who put their lives on the
line every day and celebrate the victories they have won,"
according to J.R. Davis, President
and Chairman of the Chicago Crime
Commission.
"The Stars of Distinction, 2012 Awards Dinner is a chance
to honor those whose efforts have been instrumental in the
successful pursuit of justice. It is an opportunity for us to
thank them and celebrate their outstanding achievements along with
their family, friends, and colleagues," Davis added.
Awards presented and recipients of the Stars of Distinction
Awards will include:
LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCELLENCE AWARD
The Chicago Crime
Commission Law Enforcement Excellence Award is presented to
Sergeant David Cammack of the
Cook County Sheriff's Police in
recognition of his lifesaving heroics.
On May 10, 2012, Sgt. Dave Cammack responded to a shots fired/man down
call in Ford Heights,
Illinois. Upon arriving at the scene, he and his fellow
officers found a man who was having difficulty breathing after
suffering several gunshot wounds to his chest from a small caliber
firearm. Fortunately, Sgt. Cammack is a licensed Emergency
Medical Technician, and he assisted in attending to the man's
wounds by placing what is called an Asherman Chest Seal on the
victim. His quick reaction saved a man's life.
LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCELLENCE BY A TASK
FORCE IN THE AREA OF VIOLENT STREET GANGS AWARD
The Chicago
Crime Commission Law Enforcement Excellence by a Task Force in the
Area of Violent Street Gangs Award is presented to the Federal
Bureau of Investigation - Special Agents Scott R. Davis, Holly M.
Barille and Stephanie
Lambert; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives – Special Agent Christopher L.
Bayless; the United States
Attorney's Office – Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Morrisey Stack and Jessica Romero.
The Belizean Bloods street gang was identified as an emerging
threat in both Chicago and
Salt Lake City, Utah. A gang
faction aligned with the Black P Stone Nation's north side and
south side factions prompted the Joint Task Force on Gangs to quell
the potential rise of yet another street gang in Chicago.
Operation Black Orchid and Operation Bloodhound, investigations
into the operations of the Belizean Bloods street gang, were
subsequently launched.
After probable cause was established, the law enforcement team
executed a coordinated arrest of 60 Belizean Bloods members and
associates in Chicago and
Salt Lake City in November of last
year, as well as the seizure of large quantities of cocaine and
cash. The concurrent investigations effectively dismantled
the leadership and narcotics supply chain of the Belizean Bloods
and was a true example of effective law enforcement teamwork.
The cases are currently being prosecuted by the Assistant United
States Attorney's Office.
LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCELLENCE BY A TASK
FORCE IN THE AREA OF ILLEGAL WEAPONS AWARD
The Chicago Crime
Commission Law Enforcement Excellence by a Task Force in the Area
of Illegal Weapons Award is presented to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation - Special Agents Christopher
Hedges and Scott Holladay;
the Chicago Police Department –
Task Force Officer Robert Smith;
the United States Attorney's
Office – Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay
Jenkins; the Attorney General's Office – Assistant Attorney
General Christina Mahoney in
recognition of their outstanding collaboration and performance
combating the Imperial Gangsters and the removal of illegal weapons
in "Operation Mousetrap."
After a two year investigation, a large-scale search and arrest
operation was conducted, resulting in the arrests of 29 Imperial
Gangster members on June 12th,
2012. Along with a small amount of narcotics, investigators
seized over 30 firearms. All members were charged with
significant state and federal drug and weapons crimes, severely
limiting the gang's ability to operate in the 14th and 25th
districts. The case is currently being tried by the U.S.
Attorney's Office and Attorney General's Office.
This case illustrates the long-standing commitment by
Chicago law enforcement agencies
to pursue gun crimes, especially when they intersect with drug
trafficking. The life of a gun is very long, and the tragedy
it can inflict is infinite. Removing these illegal firearms
and the criminals using them from the city's streets will have a
significant impact upon the safety of all of Chicago.
LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCELLENCE BY A TASK FORCE IN THE AREA OF
ILLEGAL NARCOTICS AWARD
The Chicago Crime Commission Law
Enforcement Excellence by a Task Force in the Area of Illegal
Narcotics Award is presented to the Drug Enforcement Administration
– Special Agents Timothy J. Oko and
Jay R. Borns; the Federal Bureau of
Investigation – Special Agents Eric J.
McIntosh and Franklin Nivar;
the Chicago Police Department –
Task Force Officer David Bird;
the United States Attorney's
Office – Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg
Deis, William Ridgway, and
Heather McShain for their work on
Operation Gas Leak.
Operation Gas Leak was a joint investigation conducted by the
DEA, FBI, CPD and the U.S. Attorney's Office. It targeted the
Zetas Drug Trafficking Organization, one of the most violent drug
cartels operating out of Mexico,
Texas, and the Chicago metropolitan area. Once the team
secured the cooperation of an individual associated with the Zetas
money laundering operation, the team was able to conduct
surveillance and verify money collected from drug transactions in
Chicago.
The evidence gathered enabled the team to gain permission to
intercept cell phone conversations, use wiretaps, extreme
surveillance, and tracking devices. The subsequent seizures
occurred in April and June of 2010 and included over $14.5 million in cash, 246 kilograms of cocaine,
55,080 grams of marijuana, and 2 pounds of methamphetamine, and
resulted in the arrests of 20 Zetas members. After their
indictment by the U.S. Attorney's Office in November 2011, 15 of these subjects were arrested
in a coordinated takedown, and law enforcement made additional
seizures of $440,000 in cash, over
two kilograms of black tar heroin, and ½ of a gram of
cocaine.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT
The Chicago Crime Commission Lifetime
Achievement Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement is presented to
Robert Grant, former FBI Special
Agent in Charge for the Chicago Field Office.
Former FBI Special Agent in Charge, Mr. Robert Grant began his career as a special agent
with the FBI on November 13, 1983 and
immediately distinguished himself as an outstanding crime
fighter.
In 1989, Mr. Grant was promoted to supervisory special agent in
the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters. Mr. Grant was tasked
to conduct several special internal investigations. Mr. Grant
served as principle investigator assigned to evaluate allegations
of criminal and ethical violations of FBI Director William S. Sessions. The investigation resulted
in the dismissal of Director Sessions by President William J. Clinton in 1994.
In 1994, Mr. Grant was promoted to the Chicago Field Office,
where he supervised health care fraud, public corruption
investigations and other white-collar crimes. He also served
as the field office white-collar crime coordinator and as acting
assistant special agent in charge of the white-collar crime and
administrative operations programs. While assigned to Chicago, Mr. Grant led a Health Care Fraud
Task Force that developed innovative new techniques for use in the
employment of undercover operations.
After a stint in San Antonio
and Washington, Mr. Grant was
promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office
in 2005. Since assuming leadership of the office, Mr. Grant
has overseen several significant investigations, including the
arrest of former Illinois Governor
Rod Blagojevich on corruption
charges, the racketeering indictment and conviction of numerous
high-ranking members of the Chicago Outfit as part of the "Family
Secrets" trial, and the arrest of two Chicago men on charges related to the 2008
terror attacks in Mumbai,
India.
LAW ENFORCEMENT GANG EXPERTISE AWARD
The Chicago Crime
Commission Law Enforcement Gang Expertise Award is presented to
Cook County Sheriff's Deputy
Franco Domma.
Investigator Domma has worked as a Gang Unit Investigator for 13
years at the Cook County Sheriff's
Office. He has become the "go-to" person for the Chicago Police Department when it comes to
developing or elaborating information obtained from Cook County
Jail.
He has been the catalyst behind much of the information often
forwarded to the Chicago HIDTA Office from Cook County Criminal
Intelligence Unit. Domma has worked with numerous Law
Enforcement agencies and assisted in numerous investigations, all
of which he conducted with his usual enthusiasm and
dedication. His knowledge of gangs and willingness to share
that information was critical to publishing the Chicago Crime
Commission's recent edition of The Gang Book.
The Chicago Crime Commission would like to extend its gratitude
for Investigator Domma's generous willingness to work as the
essential gang knowledge base needed in the publication of the
Commission's recent edition of The Gang Book.
PROSECUTORIAL MERIT AWARD
The Chicago Crime Commission
Prosecutorial Merit Award is presented to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation – Special Agent Mark
Quinn of the Violent Crime Task Force, Special Agent
Edward McNamara of the Organized
Crime Squad, Special Agent Mark
Sofia of the Special Operations Group; the LaGrange Police
Department – Lieutenant Christopher
Noel; the United States
Attorney's Office – Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu and Stephen P. Baker.
This case recognizes the successful prosecution of Chicago
Outfit members Joseph Scalise,
Robert Pullia and Arthur Rachel. Known as the "Wild Bunch",
the Outfit relied on this crew to commit murder if needed.
The FBI Organized Crime Squad, Violent Crime Task Force, and
Special Operations Group initiated intensive cover surveillance of
the defendants in the fall of 2009 and continued over the course of
many months. These agents partnered with several local law
enforcement officers who helped obtain the information needed for
court authorization to install a listening device inside a van
utilized by one of the defendants. Based on the conversations
that were intercepted, agents moved in and arrested the defendants
before they attempted to break into a residential dwelling on the
south side of Chicago.
The U.S. Attorney's Office charged the defendants with
racketeering conspiracy, interference with commerce by robbery,
possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and
felon in possession of a firearm. Scalise and Pullia pled guilty
and face 9-10 years in prison, and Rachel was eventually convicted
and sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison.
PROSECUTORIAL SPOTLIGHT AWARD
The Chicago Crime
Commission Prosecutorial Spotlight Award is presented to the
Cook County State's Attorney's
Office Assistant State's Attorney Jim
McKay, Assistant State's Attorney Veryl Gambino and Assistant State's Attorney
Jennifer Bagby.
The case of People v. William
Balfour garnered national interest because the victims
were relatives of celebrity singer and actress, Jennifer Hudson. The level of interest
also meant that the prosecution team's every move was
scrutinized.
The Cook County prosecutors
were faced not only with inevitable media attention but also with a
case that produced no eyewitness and no confessions. They had
to rely largely on circumstantial evidence, such as cellular
telephone technology that was used to track Balfour's location at
relevant times during the crime. The prosecutors also
struggled with having to rely upon reluctant witnesses to testify
against Balfour.
Despite all of these challenges the prosecution
persevered. A jury convicted William
Balfour of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced
him to natural life in prison without the possibility of
parole.
MITCHELL A. MARS PROSECUTORIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
The
Chicago Crime Commission Mitchell A. Mars Prosecutorial Excellence
Award is presented to Will County
State's Attorney James Glasgow for
his outstanding effort in the prosecution of former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson in
the murder of his third wife, Kathleen
Savio.
After nearly two years of litigation before the Third District
Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court, State's Attorney
Glasgow and his team were granted a ruling that would change the
course of the case.
In April 2012 the Third
District Appellate Court effectively overturned Judge Stephen White's earlier decision by ruling that
the prosecution team could use eight statements made by both the
victim prior to her death and by Peterson's still-missing fourth
wife, Stacy, prior to her disappearance.
The Peterson prosecution was a five-year process that involved a
number of groundbreaking initiatives. The Will County State's Attorney's Office
conducted an 18-month Special Grand Jury investigation following
the disappearance of Stacy
Peterson. In addition, State's Attorney Glasgow filed
a petition to exhume the body of Kathleen
Savio, after which second and third autopsies revealed
compelling new evidence that assisted him in proving she was
murdered and not the victim of a slip-and-fall accident.
State's Attorney Glasgow also worked with the General Assembly
to draft and enact new legislation that placed the concept of
"forfeiture by wrongdoing" into the Illinois criminal rules of evidence.
Forfeiture by wrongdoing enables prosecutors to enter relative and
probative hearsay statements into evidence if they can prove a
defendant killed a witness to prevent him or her from
testifying. The Illinois Supreme Court eventually adopted the
common law doctrine of forfeiture by wrongdoing in its decision
regarding a DuPage County murder
case and then adopted the federal rules on forfeiture by
wrongdoing.
On September 6, 2012 after a
lengthy and contentious trial, a jury convicted Drew Peterson of
the first-degree murder of Kathleen
Savio. He currently awaits sentencing.
PAWS OF DISTINCTION AWARD
The Chicago Crime Commission
PAWS of Distinction Award is presented to DEA Special Agent
Robert Glynn and K9 Partner
Rudy.
This award recognizes the invaluable service that canine units
lend to law enforcement. The 2012 recipients prove that these
highly trained companions and their handlers very much deserve
recognition for preventing and solving crimes, a task that would be
much more difficult if not impossible without their unique
collaboration.
This year the award goes to an officer-canine duo that, since
February 2006, have seized more than
$35 million in cash, over 925
kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of crack cocaine, 40 kilograms
of heroin, 13 kilograms of MDMA, four kilograms of
methamphetamines, and approximately one ton of marijuana.
This duo proves once again that dogs are indeed man's best
friend, even in crime fighting.
Contact:
John Pastuovic
312-372-0101 X 240
SOURCE Chicago Crime Commission