WCSO Press Releases

     Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley is announcing changes to the daily operations of the Sheriff’s Office, Public Safety Building, 16911 W. Laraway Road in Joliet and to the Adult Detention Facility, 95 S. Chicago Street, and Video Visitation Building, 20 S. Chicago Street in Joliet.  These changes are due to the current precautions the nation is taking with the Covid-19 virus.  Please be advised.

     Beginning Wednesday, November 11, 2020 and until further notice, public access to the Public Safety Complex will temporarily be stopped.  The front lobby doors will be locked.  Please follow the following guidelines in order to take care of necessary business you need from the Sheriff’s Office:

 1)      If you are a victim of a minor crime, you are in need of a police report, or you have a general question we encourage you to visit the Sheriff’s website at www.willcosheriff.org.  On the website, you will see a list of Online Forms.  You will find forms such as ‘Online Police Report’, ‘FOIA a Police Report’, and ‘Contact the Sheriff’s Office’.   Click on the link that pertains to your situation, fill it out and submit it.    

 2)      If you are in need of speaking to a deputy, call 911 or the non-emergency number at 815-727-8575.  If necessary, a deputy will be dispatched to your location.

 3)      If you are a registered sex offender and need to register or update your information you may come to the Public Safety Building and push the call button that is located between the two entrance doors.  Someone will assist you.

 4)      If you need to pick-up evidence in your reported case, please call the Evidence Division at 815-727-4736 to schedule a pick-up time. 

     Regarding the Will County Sheriff’s Adult Detention Facility – The Adult Detention Facility, as well as the Video Visitation Building, is temporarily closed to all visitors/public.  Professional visitors such as attorneys, therapists, etc. are being required to schedule an appointment by calling 815-774-7950.  Your visitation request will be handled on a case-by-case basis. 

     Family/friends of current inmates can deposit funds into inmate commissary accounts at www.jailatm.com.

      From the start of the Covid pandemic, Sheriff Kelley has continued to stay apprised of current updates from the CDC, as well as from Will County officials.    With Covid cases on the rise, additional mitigations being put in place within Illinois, and a rise in positive cases and Covid exposures among Sheriff’s staff, Sheriff Kelley and administrators feel that it is in the best interest of our facilities and our staff to take these measures. 

 We are asking the public for their understanding and patience as we all do our part to get through this as safely as possible.   If any further changes are necessary, the public will be advised. 

 –end- 

The Will County Sheriff's Office is announcing the arrest of Justin M. Adams, age 34, of 110 N. First Street in Peotone for child pornography.  He is being held at the Adult Detention Facility on a $1 million bond (10% to apply).

In early October, the Sheriff's Investigation Unit was notified by the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children that they had been contacted by Instagram, back in April of 2020, regarding the use of child pornography from a specific IP address.  The National Center conducted an investigation and had identified the user of the IP address to be Justin Adams.  

On October 21st, Sheriff's detectives secured a search warrant for Adams' residence.  Detectives served the warrant on October 23 where they collected electronic devices and brought Adams in for questioning.  During the interview, Adams made statements implicating himself regarding the sharing of multiple images and videos of child pornography through his Facebook and Instagram accounts. 

This case remains open and active.    -end- 

Sheriff Kelley would like to announce the arrest of Edmund B. Kavanaugh (age 51) for numerous financial crimes.

On 10/06/2020, members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Romeoville Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence in Elmhurst, Illinois.  Edmund Kavanaugh, who operates Goliath Construction, was the target of an eight-month long on-going financial crime/home repair fraud investigation.  Kavanaugh has been the subject of numerous complaints throughout the Chicagoland area by many agencies.

The Will County Sheriff’s Office, the Romeoville Police Department, the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Will County States Attorney’s Office, and the Elmhurst Police Department participated in this investigation.

A Search Warrant was executed at Kavanaugh’s residence in Elmhurst, Illinois. Kavanaugh was charged with multiple felony offenses for Home Repair Fraud, Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise, Money Laundering, Structuring, and Theft by Deception.

Detectives from the Will County Sheriff’s Office, obtained a 13 count felony complaint arrest warrant in the amount of $500,000-10% to apply; Detectives from the Romeoville Police Department, obtained a 4 count felony complaint arrest warrant in the amount of $500,000-10% to apply.

Kavanaugh was transported to the Will County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Complex where he was interviewed by detectives in regards to this investigation.  Kavanaugh made numerous incriminating statements to detectives.

Upon conclusion of the interview, Kavanaugh was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility in Joliet, Illinois where he is currently incarcerated on a $1,000,000-10% bond.

The detectives that worked this investigation are certain, that additional unknown victims of Kavanaugh’s home repair schemes exist.  The Will County Sheriff’s Office is urging those victims, to come forward and report these crimes to your local police jurisdiction.

Sheriff Kelley would like to thank the participating agencies, the detectives, crime scene investigators, and the Will County Assistant State’s Attorney’s for all of their hard work, dedication, and determination in regards to this investigation.

Sheriff Kelley would like to announce the recent arrests of Joseph Asbury-Butler (age 22), Ricardo M. Barrios-Reyes (age 26), and Miguel A. Barrios-Zacarias (age 29) for various firearms related offenses.

On 10/03/2020, at approximately 7:03 PM, Will County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 400 block of Siegmund Avenue in Joliet Township for a report of gunshots fired in the area.  Will County Sheriff’s Office personnel observed gunfire damage to a house, and seven spent firearm shell casings.  The complainant described the offending vehicle, as a red Mitsubishi or Pontiac vehicle with a loud exhaust.

A Will County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a vehicle fitting the description not far from the scene.  The vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed and the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop.  The driver of the vehicle refused to stop the vehicle, and the three occupants bailed out of the vehicle and fled on foot.  The three subjects were observed by witnesses running through yards and into a residence in the 1300 block of E. Jackson Street in Joliet Township.

Deputies with the Will County Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter on the residence and attempted to make contact with the suspects, whom had barricaded themselves inside.  The suspects refused to exit the residence, and the standoff continued for many more hours.

The Will County Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team were sent to the residence in an attempt to resolve the situation in a peaceful manner, while taking the suspects into custody.  A search warrant was obtained for the residence, and SWAT personnel developed a plan to bring the barricaded situation to a conclusion.  After attempting to make further contact with the occupants to no avail, SWAT personnel deployed a distraction device and breached the front door of the residence.  Instructions were given to the occupants to vacant the residence, to which they complied.

The three suspects were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Will County Public Safety Complex, where they spoke to detectives about the incident.  All three suspects were charged with Obstructing Justice, Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding, Aggravated Discharge of a firearm, and Reckless Conduct.  In addition, Miguel A. Barrios-Zacarias was wanted on a burglary warrant.  All three suspects are currently incarcerated at the Will County Adult Detention Facility and are awaiting a bond hearing.

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Sheriff Kelley would like to announce the arrest of Jason Stevens Jr. (age 26) of Joliet for attempted murder, resisting/obstructing a police officer, armed violence, aggravated possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a controlled substance, aggravated battery, reckless conduct, and a parole violation.

On 09/30/2020, at approximately 4:53 AM, Deputies from the Will County Sheriff’s Office were in the area of the 1100 block of Parkwood Drive in Joliet, following up on an incident that had occurred one hour prior.  Earlier that morning, a Will County Deputy had attempted to make a traffic stop on a black Pontiac Grand Am on the Westside of Joliet.  The vehicle had fled from the traffic stop and deputies were attempting to locate the vehicle and suspect from the earlier incident.

Deputies located the suspect's vehicle in an apartment parking lot, and observed a Black Male subject that fit the description of the registered owner, next to the vehicle.  The Will County Deputy announced himself and the suspect began to run from the deputy attempting to flee.  While running, the Stevens discharged the firearm, one time in the direction of the Will County Deputy.  Upon firing the weapon in close proximity of the deputy, Stevens fell to the ground.  The deputy attempted to gain control of the assaultive suspect’s wrists and firearm.  While the deputy was attempting to gain control of the Stevens' firearm, another shot was fired by Stevens in close proximity of the Will County Deputy.

Stevens then began to bite the deputy’s hands, wrists, and arms in an attempt to gain control of the firearm and defeat the arrest.  Another Will County Deputy who was in the area assisting in the investigation heard the gunshots and assisted in taking Stevens into custody without further incident.  The firearm, along with other items of evidentiary value were recovered at the scene.

When interviewed by detectives, Stevens made numerous incriminating statements in regards to the incident.  The deputy involved in this incident was treated and released from a local area hospital for minor injuries.  Jason Stevens is currently incarcerated at the Will County Adult Detention Facility awaiting a bond hearing.

 Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley is pleased to announce that the Sheriff’s Office will be adding a seventh dog to its specialized K9 Unit.  The Sheriff’s Office currently has five narcotics dogs, one explosive detection dog and as of 9/21/20, “Liz” has joined the team.  K9 Elizabeth “Liz” a scent discriminate bloodhound, is 10-months old, and is in the process of completing her training to locate a missing person by using the individual’s unique scent. Will County purchased K9 Liz from Tallahassee-based Scent Evidence K9 when she was only 3-months old and the Sheriff’s Office has been following her training progress since then.  When Liz reported for duty on Monday, she met her new handler, Sheriff’s Deputy Marty Stortz and Sergeant Jeff Pogose.   

 Sheriff Mike Kelley stated, “Our K9 Unit is a vital part of our department.  The dogs are specifically trained to assist our officers with tools that cannot be matched by humans. The addition of Liz is a win-win situation.  It allows families and caregivers to be better prepared in the event that a loved one goes missing and it assists our deputies when every second matters, in expediting search and recovery assignments.  We are very excited to have Liz on board to assist with our at-risk residents in Will County.”

 The Scent Evidence Preservation kits that are used by Liz provide a way for families and caregivers to pre-collect a scent article from an individual and store it in case a person goes missing. Once the kit is completed, it is kept at the home or facility where the at-risk individual resides and remains effective for up to 10 years.  Founder and CEO of Scent Evidence K9, Paul Coley, stated, “We call our kits, ‘peace of mind in a jar’. As a former FBI Forensic Canine Operations Specialist and canine handler, I was constantly faced with the challenge of finding an effective scent article during active searches. The preservation kits have served that need.”

 Liz was named in honor of Elizabeth Smart who is a survivor and child safety advocate.  Smart gained national attention when she was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City at age 14 and was held for nine months with her captors in the wilderness of Utah.   The Elizabeth Smart Foundation, located in Utah, has collaborated with Scent Evidence K9 on several projects to help promote more effective search response methods in missing person cases.

 Preservation kits will be distributed to at-risk adults and juveniles who reside in Will County.  If a deputy encounters someone while on-duty who may benefit from a kit, the deputy will inform the family/caregiver, suggest that one be completed, and provide the kit to the family.     Family members may also come into the Will County Sheriff’s Office at 16911 W. Laraway Road in Joliet, during business hours, to request a kit or call the Sheriff’s Office at 815-727-4736 to leave a request message.  A deputy will then arrange for the family member to receive one.  Preservation kits will only be distributed to individuals whose family member is deemed vulnerable due to their current medical/mental state of mind.         

 Sheriff Mike Kelley would like to extend a special Thank You to the Crete Township F-Men for bringing his attention to this valued business, Scent Evidence K9’s, in order to enhance the Sheriff’s Office. 

 Visit the Sheriff’s website for information on how to request a preservation kit:  www.willcosheriff.org

 For additional information, please visit:  www.scentevidencek9.com

 Informational:

Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) have an increased tendency to wander and become lost. Children with autism are also at high risk to wander and go missing. The Alzheimer’s Association states that 60% or 3 in 5 people with Alzheimer’s or dementia will wander.  The American Pediatric Association states that almost 50% of children with autism will wander and go missing at least once before the age of 17.

-end-

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