Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- While cannabis is legal in Illinois and relatively easy to obtain, people may still be charged with possession, even felonies, as one Chicago man found out last week during a traffic stop. In a separate instance, police recovered a firearm from an allegedly admitted felon who said he obtained the weapon from a family friend, a retired Lake County Sheriff in Indiana. These reports cover police activity from July 12 through July 18, 2022.
And the beat goes on.
Park Forest Police Blotter Reports Through July 18, 2022
Felony Possession of Cannabis
Kevin D. Earl, 49, 9012 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, was arrested on July 12 and charged with felony possession of cannabis and issued traffic citations charging driving on a suspended driver’s license, driving with suspended registration, and disobeying a stop sign when an officer conducting traffic control saw a vehicle traveling southbound on Orchard Drive allegedly proceed through a stop sign at Illinois Street without stopping, according to police. Mr. Earl allegedly had a large bag in the car containing 317.5 g of cannabis, according to police.
Domestic Battery
Erika Brown, 36, 7108 166th St. #1A, Tinley Park, was arrested on July 13 and charged with domestic battery and reckless driving after police responded to the 300 block of Juniper Street to conduct a well-being check, according to police.
Warrants
Anna Swanson, 33, 4 Gerstung Rd., Park Forest, was arrested on July 13 and processed on a warrant issued July 12, 2022, by Judge Coughlin on a charge of aggravated DUI; a warrant issued on July 12, 2022, by Judge Coughlin on a charge of improper Lane usage. These warrants had no bail set. Ms. Swanson was also processed on a Will County warrant charging domestic battery issued on June 1, 2022. Police responded to the area of 26th Street near Allegheny Street at 7 PM to investigate a report of an intoxicated woman yelling at vehicles and stumbling in the roadway, according to police.
Upon arrival, an officer located Anna M. Swanson walking along the trail and “highly intoxicated,” according to the report. Police transported Ms. Swanson to the Park Forest Police Department and St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields for medical assessment and treatment. Then after 11 PM, they took her back to the Park Forest Police Department.
Unlawful Possession of Firearm Ammunition
Alonzo L. Rudolph, 20, 225 Arrowhead St., Park Forest, was arrested on July 14, processed on an active Will County warrant charging traffic offenses, and charged with unlawful possession of firearm ammunition when police responded to an address on Arrowhead Street to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance.
Police found two people were having a verbal altercation, and one requested that Alonzo Rudolph leave the residence for the day, according to police. Police conducted a LEADS check on Mr. Rudolph and found the active Will County warrant. Police advised Mr. Rudolph that he had a warrant and placed him into custody, according to police. While an officer conducted a safety search on Mr. Rudolph’s person, he located a loaded magazine with six .40 caliber Smith & Wesson rounds inside the magazine, according to police. Police learned that Mr. Rudolph did not have a valid FOID card, according to police.
Criminal Damage to Property
Bryan D. Hill, 44, 312 Sheridan St., Park Forest, on July 15 and charged with criminal damage to property when police responded to an address on Sheridan Street to investigate a report of domestic trouble.
DUI
Clifford M. Contreras, 60, 3105 Western Ave., Park Forest, was arrested on July 15 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI BAC greater than .08, and disobeying a stop sign when an officer traveling eastbound on Westwood Drive approaching Orchard Drive saw a vehicle traveling southbound on Orchard Drive which allegedly failed to come to a complete stop at the intersection, according to police.
It was 11:08 PM.
The officer activated the emergency lighting on his patrol vehicle and initiated a traffic stop on the sedan on Orchard Drive just north of Lakewood Boulevard. The officer spoke with the driver and sole occupant, Clifford Contreras, and advised Mr. Contreras of the reason for the stop. The officer asked Mr. Contreras where he was coming from, and Mr. Contreras said he was coming from his sister’s home in Chicago, according to police.
According to the report, Mr. Contreras’s speech was slow and slurred, with an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from Mr. Contreras’s breath. According to the report, the officer further noted that Mr. Contreras’s eyes were glassy and dilated.
The officer found that Mr. Contreras had a valid Illinois driver’s license, according to police.
The officer asked Mr. Contreras to perform field sobriety tests, and Mr. Contreras agreed to do so, according to police. After the tests, the officer informed Mr. Contreras that he was under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to police. At the Park Forest Police Department at 12:14 AM on July 16, Mr. Contreras submitted a breath sample yielding a BAC of .140, according to police.
Domestic Battery and Aggravated Assault
Ronrecus J. Griffin, 42, 733 Sandpiper St. #4, University Park, was arrested on July 17 and charged with domestic battery and aggravated assault when five officers responded to an apartment at North Arbor Trail to investigate a 911 hang-up, later changed to a domestic incident, according to police. According to SouthCom Dispatch, a woman stated that a man put a gun to her head and she had locked herself in her bedroom, according to police. Police were not able to locate a firearm at the scene.
Felony Armed Habitual Criminal (Class X)
Bill F. Prokop, 61, 330 Wildwood Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on July 18 and charged with one felony count of armed habitual criminal (Class X) and additionally issued traffic citations charging expired registration, suspended registration, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, and driving while license was suspended.
Around 8:30 PM, an officer was in the area of 26th Street and Western Avenue when he saw a vehicle stopped at the red light westbound on 26th Street at that intersection. According to the report, the officer conducted a LEADS inquiry on the registration and learned that the vehicle registration was suspended on a mandatory insurance violation. The officer activated the emergency lighting on his patrol vehicle and curbed the vehicle in front of Lifetime Automotive, according to police.
The officer informed the driver and sole occupant, Bill F. Prokop, of the registration issue and asked for Mr. Prokop’s driver’s license and proof of insurance. Mr. Prokop gave the officer his driver’s license but could not locate his insurance card. The officer learned that Mr. Prokop’s Illinois driver’s license was suspended.
Mr. Prokop allegedly began to plea with the officer, asking him permission to simply drive home, according to police. The officer denied this request and told Mr. Prokop to exit the vehicle, which he did.
The officer asked if Mr. Prokop had any weapons, and Mr. Prokop allegedly told the officer he had a firearm in his waistband, according to police. According to the report, the officer recovered a loaded 9 mm Heckler and Koch P7 semi-automatic pistol from Mr. Prokop’s waistband.
The officer asked Mr. Prokop if he was legally allowed to own a gun, and Mr. Prokop allegedly replied that he was not, according to police. The officer asked Mr. Prokop if he was a felon, and Mr. Prokop allegedly replied that he was, according to police.
The officer asked him how he obtained a firearm. Mr. Prokop allegedly responded that he got it from a family friend who is a retired Lake County Sheriff in Indiana and that he paid $300 for it approximately one year ago, according to police.
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.
