Chicago criminal attorney

September 15, 2023

Chicago Man Found Guilty of Rape of 15-Year-Old Girl

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A Chicago man was recently found guilty of the rape of a 15-year-old girl while she was walking home in 2017. The 66-year-old defendant had been charged with two counts of rape, attempted rape, criminal confinement, armed robbery, and battery with a deadly weapon. The defendant was convicted on each of the seven counts and faces a maximum prison sentence of 146 years behind bars. The defendant rejected a 40-year prison sentence in a plea deal offered by the state.

According to the charges, the defendant had followed the 15-year-old girl down the street as she was walking home. He dragged her into an alley, where he raped her, according to prosecutors. The same defendant has another count of rape filed against him. He has been charged in Chicago with raping another woman at knifepoint in East Chicago.

Sexual Assault Charges in Chicago, IL

September 8, 2023

Chicago Wrongly Places Felonies on the Records of Those in Diversion Programs

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

The City of Chicago has been wrongly placing felonies on the records of those in diversion programs. Having a felony on your record can make it difficult to find housing or apply for a job. In one case, a man who was identified as Malcolm in an article published by the Chicago Sun-Times lost his job because his employer found out about a felony on his record. However, he had only been arrested for a low-level crime and pleaded it down as part of a diversion program.

In many cases, these were people who were promised a clean record if they successfully completed a diversion program. Malcolm had a good job and was proud that he was able to provide for his children. He was offered a diversion program as part of a felony case and promised that he would have a clean record if he completed the diversion program. Instead, the felony popped up on his record and cost him his job. He was shocked. As it turns out, Cook County had wrongly been placing felonies on the records of those who completed diversion programs over the past three years.

Malcolm became homeless as a result of losing his job. He began sleeping in doorways after he could no longer pay his rent.

September 6, 2023

Chicago Chiropractor Charged With Fraud

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A Chicago chiropractor is facing federal fraud charges after billing a private insurer for nonexistent services. The defendant is alleged to have owned and operated Movement Health and Rehab, also known as Motu Chiropractic. According to federal authorities, he submitted false claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois for health care services that the defendant knew he never rendered. In some cases, allegedly fraudulent claims were rendered on dates when the patient or their chiropractor was not in Illinois. Other claims involved chiropractic services that were provided to the defendant and his family members even when the defendant knew that those services were not provided. Blue Cross Blue Shield denies claims that are provided to family members. So, the defendant knew that the claim would be denied.

When Blue Cross Blue Shield audited the defendant’s claims, he submitted false patient information to them. As a result of the fraudulent claims, the defendant made $430,000 in ill-gotten proceeds, according to the indictment. The defendant is now facing 14 counts of healthcare fraud. Each individual count is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. Below, we will discuss the crime of healthcare fraud.

Those Accused of Healthcare Fraud Often Face Federal Charges

August 18, 2023

Chicago Police Officer and Sister Convicted of Charges Stemming From January 6th

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A Chicago police officer and his sister have been convicted of several counts related to the January 6th riot at the Capitol. The officer was convicted of entering or remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in the Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the Capitol building. The jury acquitted the police officer of another crime. He was accused of entering the office of Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley.

He is one of several individuals who have been charged with serious crimes related to the January 6th riot. The most serious charges have been filed against those who either attacked Capitol police that day or organized the event to storm the Capitol building during the swearing-in of incumbent President Joe Biden.

18 Years for Stewart Rhodes

August 2, 2023

As Gun Possession Arrests Double, Shootings Remain High

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Renewed focus on weapons charges is producing interesting, if disappointing, results. While arrests have doubled for possession of weapons charges, shootings remain high and frequently result in no arrest. The problem is that the majority of these arrests are targeting Black men but have not resulted in an overall reduction of violent crime.

The race to get guns off the street ensures that police officers will use any potential pretext as a reason to search suspects. This can include innocuous traffic stops for tinted windows, the smell of weed, or a bulge in a fanny pack. Police believe that every gun recovered is a potential life saved. But lives are also destroyed in the process. However, the majority of weapons-related charges involve allegations of possession and not use. Violent crimes involving guns remain difficult to solve, and police have overwhelmingly charged Black men with weapons violations. Even as the number of possession-related arrests doubled, the number of violent crimes involving guns escalated over the same period.

Statistics on Gun Possession Charges

April 26, 2023

The Fear/Rage Dopamine Loops and Crime Journalism

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Facebook is being sued in almost every country over concerns that its algorithm harnesses the worst emotions that humanity has to offer and then rewards them for it. This is resulting in reports of genocide in Myanmar, deaths of teenagers, families destroyed by fake news, and a general feeling of hatred toward our fellow Americans. It may not be so much that Americans like this information or like feeling this way, as it is a matter of belief that this information makes them part of a special elect few who have their finger on the pulse of the American heartbeat.

How Does Your Local News Cycle Work?

Essentially, everything you need to know about your news cycle can be gleaned from the movie Nightcrawler. In the movie, an unlikeable protagonist fulfills his dream of becoming a vulture by getting a live feed of newsworthy events. By the end of the movie, he is creating events to film and getting rich off of these created events. While this is unlikely to happen in real life, the fictional space that the movie creates allows us to see how that would work.

March 22, 2023

Teen Charged After Kia Joyride Injures Two Officers

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A Chicago teen is facing criminal charges after stealing a Kia at gunpoint and taking it on a joyride. The vehicle eventually crashed into a police car and spun out into a parked car. The three teens inside the vehicle took off in different directions, but police were able to apprehend each of them. One of them had a gun. The victim was a 16-year-old girl. The suspect has been charged with armed robbery and criminal trespass to a vehicle. Both officers injured in the crash are expected to make a full recovery.

This particular teen will be charged as an adult. Charging documents have already taken off many of the worst allegations that can be made. The law likes to give 17-year-olds a chance to rehabilitate their lives. Unfortunately, prison is not the place for that. However, when it comes to 17-year-olds who commit violent crimes, most jurisdictions will pursue adult charges.

However, Chicago is once again in a swing toward “tough on crime” politics as news of crime draws criticism from the public.

February 15, 2023

Re-Entry Remains Difficult for Those Serving Sentences

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Illinois officials have emphasized re-entry services for inmates who have been convicted of serious crimes. But finding steady employment, even for those who earned master’s degrees while inside, remains difficult. Part of the issue is related to their incarceration, but another part of the issue has to do with the fact that employers are not likely to hire someone with a master’s degree for low-level warehouse work. The employer will figure they will get bored with the job and be gone in a few weeks.

Now one former inmate who was convicted of murder says he’s having difficulty finding work despite the fact that he has a master’s degree. It further becomes a problem when the former inmate has no legitimate means of earning money. The chances of that inmate going back to prison escalate exponentially.

What Prevents Former Inmates From Getting Jobs?

February 1, 2023

R. Kelly Charges Dropped Causing Wave of Anger

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

There are a lot of issues at play in this case that have nothing to do with justice or the adjudication of guilt for a crime. Ultimately, these issues may have caused Chicago prosecutors to take their chips off the board and play another game. However, at present, the sex crimes charges against R. Kelly in Chicago have been dropped.

Many people, especially the victims, are angry that the prosecutors initiated the effort to build a case against Kelly and then decided not to pursue it. This has left the four Chicago victims with misgivings over the process of justice.

The state decided that the cost of prosecuting Kelly for these crimes was not worth it. Kelly is serving a 30-year sentence and will not be eligible for parole until he is at least 80. Kelly was convicted on various federal charges, including sex trafficking, enticement of a minor, and production of child pornography. However, he has never been convicted on the four counts of sexual assault he committed against the four Chicago victims.

January 6, 2023

SAFE-T Act Put on Hold Amid Legal Battles

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

The SAFE-T Act was set to go into effect on January 1st of the new year. However, the no-cash bail provision of the bill was deemed unconstitutional by an Illinois judge. The Illinois Supreme Court put a halt on the legislation, which will likely force legislators to revisit some of the provisions of the bill.

While those on the right have derided the legislation as being soft on crime and making the streets less safe, the left believes that the criminal justice system unfairly favors those with money. Ending cash bail is one way to make the system fairer. However, it is not clear that either side is correct, and in all of the confusion, necessary reforms are falling by the wayside.

Had the Supreme Court not stepped in to block the legislation, cash bail would have survived in the counties that sued to block the measure. With some counties participating and others not, the court blocked the legislation until it could review it more carefully and determine if any of the provisions of the law violated the state constitution.