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Lake County Gazette

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

SAFE-T Act advocates promise to free "non violent drug offenders;" But at Lake County Jail, it's hard to find one.

Muhammad rinehart

Accused burglar and fentanyl dealer Markeece Muhammad (L) will be released on Jan. 1, 2023 due to the SAFE-T Act; Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart (R) supports the law and Muhammad's release. | Lake County

Accused burglar and fentanyl dealer Markeece Muhammad (L) will be released on Jan. 1, 2023 due to the SAFE-T Act; Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart (R) supports the law and Muhammad's release. | Lake County

There are 190 accused criminals who've been incarcerated in the Lake County Jail for more than four months, with cash bail. And 175 of them are currently charged with one or more violent crimes.

That's according to an analysis of jail records by the Lake County Gazette. 

As of Oct. 24, there were 505 total inmates at the jail, 449 men and 56 women.

Common charges include murder (50 inmates) and unlawful use or ownership of a gun (44), rape (31), armed robbery (12), aggravated battery (9) and aggravated driving under the influence (9).

The only "non-violent" offenders in the group analyzed include 13 men charged with selling illegal drugs and two Chicago ex-cons charged with identity theft.

The accused drug offenders include two methamphetamine, two heroin, seven cocaine, one LSD and one fentanyl dealer, 23 year-old Markeece M. Muhammad of Zion, who has separately been charged in connection with 60 burglaries across Lake County, along with his brother, Kwantrell Williams, 25.

Muhammad is being held on $200,000 cash bond.

Amidst their crime spree, U.S. Small Business Administration records show Muhammad and Williams both got $20,833 Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans in April 2021.

 In addition to his Lake County issues, Williams is being held in McHenry County, where he faces more than 30 charges for burglarizing businesses and stealing cars in Crystal Lake. 

Both accused identity thieves also have long criminal rap sheets.

Rodney Gandy, 29, held on $100,000 bond, has a history of drug and violent gun arrests and has spent time in state prison. He was arrested in Gurnee in May.

James F. Webb, 51, arrested in Lincolnshire in Jan. 2020, has at least six prior convictions and has served state prison time for forging checks. He's being held on $300,000 bond.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, 60 percent of state prison inmates are behind bars for violent crimes. Only 3.5 percent are incarcerated for something drug-related.

Releasing violent offenders, too

Effective Jan 1, 2023, drug offenses and identity theft become "non detainable," meaning prosecutors will be required to let Muhammad, Williams, Gandy and Webb immediately go free.

By default, the same goes for many accused violent offenders, including those charged with domestic battery, aggravated battery, burglary, car theft, aggravated DUI and vehicular homicide.

That includes Armando Altamirano, 32, of Palatine. He was allegedly fleeing police and driving drunk on New Year's morning 2020 when he crashed into another vehicle in Mundelein, killing a Buffalo Grove man. 

Altamirano bonded out but missed a court hearing and was re-arrested; he's currently being held on $2 million bail.

Under the SAFE-T ACT, drug-induced homicide also becomes a "non-detainable" offense.

Erick Ruiz of McHenry is accused of providing a Wauconda couple with fentanyl. They both overdosed and died in a Libertyville Motel 6, in Dec. 2021. Staff found the couple when they heard their six month old baby crying.

“People who choose to make their money by dealing deadly drugs like heroin and fentanyl know that overdoses are on the rise. They know that these chemicals will kill,”  Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said at the time.

Today, Rinehart is arguing that Ruiz, who faces a minimum of six to 30 years in prison and is being held on a $1 million bond, should be trusted to wait for trial from home.

He's one of two county prosecutors in Illinois who favor the new law, the other being Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx. That's versus 100 who have stated their opposition to the law and now are asking for Illinois courts to overturn it.

Follow Democrat and Will County prosecutor Jim Glasgow, who also oversees a collar county, says it will be the "end of days" if violent criminals are allowed to await trial living among the public.

"We have to have these tools to manage these violent offenders. The reason that I have peace and quiet in Will County is that I am able to restrain the violent offenders," he said. "Chicago gang members come to Will County, they don’t leave. They’re in the Will County jail. The word gets to Chicago— they don’t come here anymore."

"If I lose that ability, the violent predators who are terrorizing Chicago, they’re going to branch out," he said.

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190 inmates, 175 violent

The Lake County Gazette compiled a list of 190 current Lake County Jail inmates who have been incarcerated, awaiting trial for more than four months. It found that only a handful were being held on "non violent" offenses, and that those who were had longer criminal histories.

InmateSexDate ConfinedResidenceBondMajor Charge
MICHAEL STANLEY MAINM8/26/2016Libertyville$1,500,000Rape
JAIME L JONESF11/7/2017Round Lake Beach$3,000,000Murder
SHAJUAN DEONDRE GARRETTM12/15/2017Zion$3,000,000Murder
GERARD S WADEM12/16/2017North Chicago$5,000,000Murder
RASHAAN WADEM1/18/2018Waukegan$3,000,000Murder
ZAVIAN D WELLSM2/24/2018Round Lake Beach$3,000,000Murder
JOHN E GARRETTM2/27/2018Zion$5,000,000Rape
RANDY SWOPESM7/18/2018Waukegan$750,000Kidnapping
MAGO MALDONADOM7/20/2018Waukegan$500,000Rape
RAYMOND SMITHM9/1/2018Zion$3,000,000Murder
JEFFREY GERMAINE STANLEYM10/2/2018Gurnee$750,000Rape
ANGEL X LOPEZM11/14/2018Ingleside$3,000,000Murder
AYESHA SIDDIQUIF11/28/2018Waukegan$3,000,000Murder
JOHNATHAN FAIRM12/14/2018Waukegan$5,000,000Murder
ERIC K WHITAKERM12/26/2018Zion$3,000,000Murder
QUANTELL L WILLIAMSM1/3/2019Zion$1,000,000Murder
BRANDYN Q T JONESM2/6/2019Lake Villa$3,000,000Murder
MARK JACKSONM3/19/2019North Chicago$1,500,000Rape
MATTHEW J WEGLEIZM4/27/2019Cicero$500,000Armed Robbery
LUCIO ACOSTAM5/8/2019Zion$250,000Rape
VINCENT CRAIG BEVLYM5/18/2019Zion$10,000,000Murder
ALONZO CAMPOSM5/21/2019Round Lake Beach$2,000,000Murder
THOMAS M OSORIOM6/20/2019Waukegan$1,000,000Rape
PRISILIANO CARRANZAM10/5/2019Waukegan$5,000,000Murder
RAFAEL BAUTISTA-TELLEZM10/7/2019Waukegan$1,000,000Rape
CHAD B JONESM11/26/2019Waukegan$50,000Murder
JEFFERY MICHAEL THRALLM12/3/2019North Chicago$5,000,000Murder
MIGUEL VACAM1/16/2020Waukegan$2,000,000Murder
NICHOLAS S GRANDISONM1/31/2020Chicago$5,000,000Murder
ALAN DAVID QUINTANA-CRUZM3/17/2020Round Lake Beach$2,000,000Agg. Battery
AHKEEN OSIRIS SMITH-TURNERM4/9/2020Waukegan$750,000Armed Robbery
JACQUELINE MORA-HERNANDEZF7/22/2020Zion$1,000,000Murder
CYNCERE TILLMANM7/22/2020Waukegan$750,000Gun Crime
JOSE LUIS LOPEZ-ARELLANESM8/26/2020None$1,000,000Drugs
DAMAR D MCDONALDM9/6/2020Waukegan$5,000,000Murder
DONYELLE ROBERTSM9/18/2020Chicago$3,000,000Murder
GERRICK J HAYNESM9/25/2020Vernon Hills$500,000Rape
KWAME L OWUSUM11/19/2020Chicago$3,000,000Murder
JORDAE JA WILSONM12/1/2020Waukegan$2,100,000Murder
FELICIYUNNA SPRUILLEF12/12/2020Waukegan$500,000Armed Robbery
IAN LONAM12/14/2020Elgin$500,000Rape
VINCENT LENELL DAVISM12/21/2020Waukegan$500,000Murder
TIMOTHY D TRIPLETTM1/13/2021North Chicago$5,000,000Murder
JOSE ALBERTO ALVARADOM2/17/2021Waukegan$2,000,000Murder
MANUEL F ALVARADOM2/19/2021Bartlett$750,000Drugs
WILLIE MONTGOMERY-WISEM2/26/2021North Chicago$200,000Murder
MONTREAL PORTERM3/2/2021North Chicago$3,000,000Murder
DERENELL D HILLM3/3/2021Waukegan$5,000,000Murder
RICHARD GRYBALOWM3/11/2021Gurnee$1,500,000Murder
SHAVA JACKSON- SPICERM3/19/2021Joliet$2,000,000Murder
DARIUS KIRBYM3/19/2021Riverdale$2,000,000Murder
SHANNA RENEE WHITEF3/24/2021Waukegan$150,000Kidnapping
MAXWELL J MURPHYM4/16/2021University Park$5,000,000Murder
SINCERE D GEERTZM5/3/2021Zion$500,000Gun Crime
DAQUNA J PRESLEYM5/8/2021Zion$2,000,000Gun Crime
RYAN SAMUEL STORMM5/19/2021Streamwood$3,000,000Rape
TERRANCE WILLIAMSONM6/3/2021Waukegan$2,000,000Rape
ISRAEL CAPISTRANM6/7/2021Waukegan$300,000Rape
TRAMANE JOHNSONM6/16/2021Waukegan$1,000,000Rape
JEMARIO PATTERSONM6/22/2021Zion$750,000Gun Crime
VERNON G FIELDSM6/30/2021Waukegan$1,000,000Gun Crime
CHRISTOPHER VAZQUEZM7/17/2021Round Lake Beach$500,000Gun Crime
LOUIS LOVEM8/1/2021Waukegan$750,000Rape
ARMANDO ALTAMIRANOM8/4/2021Palatine$2,000,000Agg. DUI
KTWIONE D WEBBM8/8/2021Chicago$750,000Murder
DALANCE MONTRELL ROBINSONM8/12/2021Calumet City$5,000,000Murder
LEWIS CARL MYLESM8/12/2021Waukegan$100,000Agg. Battery
RICHARD VILLANUEVAM8/31/2021Waukegan$1,000,000Rape
DEMARCUS K GRIFFINM9/8/2021Zion$1,000,000Gun Crime
ELEAZAR AGUILAR-MARTINEZM9/16/2021None$500,000Rape
AKIL WATTSM10/2/2021None$50,000Sex Offender Vio.
ALAN F GREENM10/3/2021North Chicago$250,000Gun Crime
TYWAIN M ROGERSM10/12/2021Zion$1,000,000Murder
RACHEL R HOPEF10/12/2021Zion$1,000,000Murder
ANTHONY WILSONM10/13/2021Waukegan$2,000,000Murder
LAZARO CARLOS LEMUSM10/14/2021Waukegan$250,000Gun Crime
RAUL JIMENEZM10/19/2021Waukegan$500,000Armed Robbery
HECTOR REYESM10/19/2021Waukegan$350,000Armed Robbery
RICHARD DANTE MCMATHM10/21/2021Beach Park$5,000,000Murder
ERROL O SHAKESM10/22/2021None$1,000,000Murder
JEREMY MITCHELLM10/30/2021Waukegan$200,000Rape
JOSHUA J EDWARDSM10/30/2021Waukegan$500,000Agg. Arson
ROBERT KENT STEWARTM11/3/2021Lakemoor$750,000Drugs
ANDRES PINEDA-ZELAYM11/5/2021Waukegan$350,000Rape
WILLIAM EARL GILBERTM11/12/2021Zion$500,000Gun Crime
ELVIS DE LA CRUZ BRENES-DUARTEM11/16/2021Hillside$500,000Drugs
LAZARO HURTADO-HERNANDEZM11/16/2021None$500,000Drugs
PAUL EDWARD KUCHARSKIM11/19/2021None$750,000Rape
MACARIO SALAZAR-FLORESM11/24/2021Waukegan$500,000Rape
ELEONORA PRILUTSKYF11/26/2021Buffalo Grove$500,000Murder
DOMINIQUE D MCMATHM11/30/2021Beach Park$75,000Gun Crime
JOSE JAIMES-AVILAM12/2/2021Cicero$500,000Drugs
MARK A JONESM12/3/2021Zion$100,000Drugs
IAN F MATUSM12/4/2021Waukegan$1,000,000Armed Robbery
SHAWN N SAWKOM12/8/2021North Chicago$350,000Gun Crime
ERICK RUIZM12/10/2021McHenry$1,000,000Drug Induced Homicide
TAVARES CHAVENDER REEDM12/15/2021Lake Villa$5,000,000Murder
KEVIN L WILLIAMSM12/22/2021Waukegan$500,000Agg. Battery
ULRICK JEANTYM12/23/2021Mundelein$40,000Gun Crime
LARRY BURKSM12/30/2021Waukegan$250,000Rape
MELINDA K HAYESF12/30/2021Round Lake Beach$250,000Car theft
JEREMIAH PERRYM1/9/2022North Chicago$3,000,000Murder
JANNIE M PERRYF1/12/2022North Chicago$5,000,000Murder
DEONTE JOHNSONM1/13/2022Waukegan$1,000,000Gun Crime
GRAYSON KASH JACKSONM1/14/2022Paris, Arkansas$1,000,000Violent Threat
ANTHONY LAVAR LOCKETTM1/14/2022North Chicago$99,000Gun Crime
TODDELLION J YARBROUGHM1/15/2022Waukegan$500,000Gun Crime
EDGAR CATALANM1/17/2022Grayslake$100,000Violent Threat
TERRELL L DAVISM1/17/2022Waukegan$1,000,000Armed Robbery
CARLOS ALBERTO RODRIGUEZM1/23/2022Waukegan$500,000Murder
JOVEN CERILLO RAMOSM1/23/2022North Chicago$350,000Armed Robbery
DEVONTAE BROWNM2/2/2022Chicago$500,000Gun Crime
DONALD ROGERSM2/2/2022Chicago$500,000Gun Crime
ISIAH DOSSM2/2/2022Chicago$350,000Gun Crime
KENDRICK ALVERSONM2/4/2022Chicago$3,000,000Murder
CHRISTOPHER ANDREW MARTINEZM2/9/2022Waukegan$35,000Gun Crime
BRADLEY ROBERT SEMRICHM2/17/2022Arkdale, WI$250,000Drugs
DESTENY RODRIGUEZF2/20/2022Round Lake Beach$150,000Armed Robbery
TYRONE C HARRELLM2/23/2022Waukegan$250,000Gun Crime
MARKEECE MUHAMMADM2/25/2022Zion$200,000Drugs
DORIAN FAULKNERM2/27/2022North Chicago$350,000Drugs
JESUS I VARGASM3/2/2022Mundelein$3,000,000Murder
JOSHUA PAUL MALOMBOM3/7/2022Beach Park$1,500,000Rape
JAMES F WEBBM3/10/2022Chicago$300,000Identity theft
TYLER G KRAUSM3/11/2022Kenosha$30,000Battery
BYRON LAMAR FISHERM3/13/2022Kenosha$350,000Armed Robbery
JEROME ANTHONY MURRAYM3/22/2022North Chicago$500,000Gun Crime
SUPRINA L BRUCEF3/22/2022Zion$250,000Agg. DUI/Death
NICHOLAS G NIKOLOVSKIM3/29/2022Winthrop Harbor$500,000Armed Robbery
LARRY R REEBM3/31/2022Mundelein$500,000Rape
ROBERTO E SALAZARM4/2/2022None$100,000Gun Crime
BRIAN JOSEPH KINGM4/11/2022Ingleside$500,000Agg. DUI/Death
PETER J POULOSM4/12/2022Hawthorn Woods$75,000Battery
ALAN WILLIAMSM4/13/2022Chicago$500,000Gun Crime
TAWHON DEMON ALLENM4/16/2022Waukegan$125,000Drugs
ERIC SALAZAR-QUEBRADOM4/16/2022Waukegan$100,000Agg. DUI
VICTOR MANUEL DIAZ-RENDONM4/21/2022Waukegan$350,000Rape
ALLAN M COOPERM4/22/2022Lakemoor$750,000Rape
MICHAEL J OKEREMANM4/25/2022Dixon, IA$1,000,000Murder
HANEY JUDEA COOKM4/25/2022North Chicago$200,000Gun Crime
COURTNEY D MARTINM4/26/2022Robbins$99,000Gun Crime
CLIFFORD BRIAN JOHNSONM4/28/2022Rifle, CO$150,000Rape
MARIQUE JAVONNE COBBINSM5/1/2022Round Lake$250,000Gun Crime
GERARDO OLVERAM5/4/2022Waukegan$250,000Rape
RICARDO CHAVEZM5/5/2022North Chicago$600,000Armed Robbery
DAVID H BONNESM5/6/2022Sturevant, WI$300,000Drugs
DONIELLE MITCHELLM5/8/2022Chicago$50,000Robbery
DALLAS NESBITTM5/12/2022Waukegan$500,000Gun Crime
RODNEY GANDYM5/13/2022Chicago$100,000Identity theft
ADAM BORREGGINEM5/13/2022Elwood$500,000Agg. DUI
MAIRA E HURTADOF5/15/2022Waukegan$100,000Agg. DUI
SILVESTRE J MARTINEZM5/16/2022Waukegan$200,000Car theft
AMIERON CENTRELL WILLIAMSM5/17/2022North Chicago$3,000,000Gun Crime
MIGUEL L HERNANDEZM5/18/2022Antioch$350,000Rape
JASHANI LEAR-GRAYSONM5/19/2022Zion$250,000Gun Crime
AZONTAE HICKSM5/20/2022Waukegan$500,000Gun Crime
TYLER M MILLER-ALFORDM5/20/2022round lake$250,000Gun Crime
ARTURO DURANM5/22/2022Round Lake Park$500,000Rape
DANIELLE N KLOWATYJF5/25/2022Round Lake$500,000Burglary
JEFF V ALLENM5/25/2022Chicago$100,000Burglary
CESAR OLAQUEZM5/26/2022Santa Ana, CA$300,000Rape
TYLER J VESTERFELTM5/26/2022Bristol, WI$700,000Gun Crime
BRANDON EUGENE COOFERM5/28/2022Winthrop Harbor$250,000Gun Crime
JEREMY M GUZMANM5/31/2022Waukegan$75,000Agg. DUI
FERNANDO JAVIER ANDINOM6/1/2022Waukegan$3,000,000Murder
LUIS ANGEL GONZALEZM6/2/2022North Chicago$75,000Gun Crime
JAMES KEVIN DANIELSM6/2/2022Waukegan$100,000Burglary
LARRY D USHERM6/2/2022Waukegan$350,000Battery
EDWARD PRADOM6/2/2022Waukegan$25,000Battery
STEPHEN T HOODM6/3/2022Zion$100,000Trespassing
ROBERT G JONESM6/6/2022Waukegan$150,000Car theft
TRAMOND PEETM6/7/2022Zion$750,000Gun Crime
VARIAN IVEL BEARDM6/9/2022Waukegan$200,000Battery
MARIA BARONF6/11/2022Vernon Hills$50,000Theft
DANNY RIVERAM6/13/2022Waukegan$300,000Gun Crime
ARAMIS NORWOODM6/13/2022Florence, AL$100,000Gun Crime
RALPH E RODRIGUEZM6/13/2022None$404,000Burglary
JOSHUA SHANE JOHNSONM6/14/2022Fox Lake$99,000Agg. DUI
ISAIAS CURIEL BARRAZAM6/16/2022Aurora$300,000Gun Crime
JAMES J RIZZOM6/16/2022Lakemoor$100,000Burglary
JACOB S FILESM6/17/2022Zion$50,000Agg. DUI
ELOY LEALM6/19/2022Waukegan$350,000Gun Crime
QVOUSIER M REDDM6/19/2022North Chicago$250,000Gun Crime
JAMIL D PARKERM6/20/2022North Chicago$250,000Gun Crime
JEREMIAH DUANE KELLERM6/23/2022Wauconda$75,000Harrassment
KEIYON X WILLISM6/23/2022Winthrop Harbor$350,000Gun Crime
DARE D SPENCERM6/23/2022Zion$200,000Battery
JORGE VILLAREAL-FLORESM6/24/2022Springtown, TX$1,000,000Drugs
SHARAHD DAVISM6/28/2022North Chicago$400,000Gun Crime
LINDELL ERWINGM6/29/2022Chicago$75,000Burglary

Source: Lake County Jail; Data includes only inmates being held on cash bail, who entered the jail through June 30, 2022; The longest incarcerated inmate has been there since 2016.

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