A Chicago man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for attempting to receive a parcel containing a vacuum-sealed substance. The substance turned out to be fentanyl, the highly-potent opioid drug at the heart of the opioid crisis -- a drug being vigorously prosecuted by Federal and State prosecutors. The defendant, who was originally from Chicago, received the package in Wisconsin where a joint task force took control of the parcel before it was delivered, analyzed the contents,...

The rules regarding automatic weapons are not simple, but most of these types of weapons are illegal to own and to use in Illinois. Even the mechanism that allows for automatic loading of the bullets is illegal. Exceptions are made for any gun that was manufactured before 1986 when the rules were drafted. These older guns have been grandfathered in, and you can own or sell them in some states, but not without a special permit, and not in Illinois...

A Chicago-area man was recently charged with possession of 900g of cocaine, nearly a kilo. The suspect has been charged with possessing a controlled substance, which is a Class-2 felony and possession with intent to deliver, a Class-X felony. A Class-X felony is the most serious felony you can be charged with short of first-degree murder. Mandatory minimum sentences depend on the weight of the drugs involved in the crime, but they run from six to 30 years behind bars....

A Chicago mother is facing child endangerment charges after her child brought a gun to school in his backpack and the gun accidentally went off, according to police. The bullet went into the floor and grazed another student, causing an injury. The injured child was brought to the hospital and is believed to be in good condition. The child’s mother has since been charged with three counts of child endangerment, all misdemeanors. An attorney for the mother told the court...

The notion of “father’s rights attorneys” is more of just a marketing term than a specialized practice of law. But that begs a second question: What do folks who market themselves as “father’s rights attorneys” actually do? For decades, the courts were biased toward mothers when determining custody disputes. This left some fathers paying child support but only able to see their children once every other weekend. The mother did not have to make any special allegations against the father...

Three Chicago men are being charged with forging autographs on sports memorabilia, art, and other collector’s items for the purposes of marking up the costs significantly. The items were then sold to auction houses, art galleries, and individuals. All three of the men have been indicted on federal fraud charges. According to the indictment, the men applied false autographs to non-original paintings. The men would then enlist the aid of straw buyers to provide “false provenance” or an individual history...

A Chicago-area driver is facing charges of DUI causing death and reckless homicide after a terrible crash that decapitated the victim. Prosecutors say that the driver’s BAC was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash. According to investigators, the woman was coming off an exit at 79 mph when she lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a median. Her vehicle flipped sideways and went airborne sheering the top off of the victim’s car....

An Illinois man will serve 68 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in stealing from his employer. According to federal authorities, the man stole CPAP machines from his employer and sold them to third parties. An internal audit caught unexplained and excessive shipping costs from a single outlet in Illinois. The defendant had fabricated a business identity to communicate with customers and pay himself using an alias. The fraud allegedly netted the defendant over...

All couples know that financial pressures are the leading cause of relationship tension. For decades, sociologists have been discussing economic insecurity in terms of divorce. Couples who are struggling to purchase homes or situate themselves tend to forestall marriage and having children until they are settled down. Now, you have pressures with the housing market, rising costs of living, and the increased cost of gasoline all placing economic pressures on American families. Nonetheless, the same folks who occupy think tanks...

The role of father’s post-divorce remains a contentious issue. In years past, mothers were often favored in custody hearings. Today, that is still the case when the child is very young. Very young children are often presumed to need their mothers more than their fathers. But this ends up creating a situation where the courts are unwilling to move children out of one residence and into another because it is presumed that continuity is in the best interests of the...

Bankruptcy is a complex legal process that is ripe for fraud. However, the fraud is usually committed by those who are attempting to use bankruptcy protections illegally. It is hardly ever committed by attorneys or their associates who oversee the bankruptcy process. Some attorneys act as bankruptcy trustees and oversee the estates of those who have declared bankruptcy. Once you declare bankruptcy, any asset that cannot be protected is placed into a trust to repay your creditors. In those cases,...

Bankruptcy is a complex legal process that is ripe for fraud. However, the fraud is usually committed by those who are attempting to use bankruptcy protections illegally. It is hardly ever committed by attorneys or their associates who oversee the bankruptcy process. Some attorneys act as bankruptcy trustees and oversee the estates of those who have declared bankruptcy. Once you declare bankruptcy, any asset that cannot be protected is placed into a trust to repay your creditors. In those cases,...

Getting pulled over on suspicion of DUI is a terrifying experience, and it is hard to know exactly what to do in that moment. If you are charged with a DUI, it can have serious penalties in Illinois, including jail time, steep fines, and the creation of a criminal record. For this reason, it is important to do everything that you can to avoid a conviction for DUI. So, can refusing a breathalyzer test help you avoid a conviction? It...

Divorce rarely brings out the best in people. It can be devastating to have to dissolve not only a marriage, but also an entire life that you spent years building. Emotions are often high, and, while you may feel that you can trust your partner, you may be surprised at the lengths that some people will go to in an attempt to try and hide or remove assets before and during a divorce to avoid having them split or equitably...

When you think about the Department of Children and Family Services, you may think primarily about small children who are in danger. However, parents have a legal responsibility to supervise minor children until they are 18 years old. This means that parents can face serious consequences, such as legal charges for neglect, or even the removal of their children from their residence, even if the children are teenagers, as in the case of our model family. DCFS can investigate and...