Participating as members of a gang taskforce, two Forest Park officers helped execute a search warrant in Berwyn that netted several thousands in cash, a handgun and various items allegedly used to manufacture crack-cocaine. Arrested in the April 9 raid was 27-year-old Michael Q. Turner, who is facing a number of felony charges for drug possession, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
At least 10 law enforcement personnel from several local offices stormed the apartment at 2146 Gunderson Ave. shortly before 1 p.m., just as Turner was about to leave the residence. Turner was taken into custody outside the apartment and officers proceeded into the building. An undisclosed amount of crack-cocaine was allegedly found inside the apartment, along with a digital scale, microwave, measuring cups and other items all with trace amounts of the drug on them. In a bedroom dresser drawer police allegedly found a loaded .45 caliber handgun along with several rounds of ammunition. The serial numbers on the gun were partially scratched off, according to a department report.
Roughly $2,260 in cash was found inside a shoe and another $1,120 was discovered in a pair of Turner’s pants, according to police.
Once in custody, Turner allegedly told police he purchased cocaine in its powder form with the intent of cooking it into crack rocks in his apartment. He purchased the gun for $150 from a street dealer, he allegedly said.
Bar fight leads to drug charges
An Oak Park man was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges shortly after midnight on April 10 following an altercation outside of a Madison Street bar. According to police, Sean F. Bratten punched a patron of Horan’s Snug in the face just as Bratten was told to leave the bar for being a nuisance. When authorities arrived, the alleged victim was bleeding from the nose, and Bratten was initially placed under arrest for battery, but the man said he did not want to press charges. During a custodial search of Bratten, 38, authorities allegedly found two grams of marijuana and a glass pipe in his pockets.
He was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Suspect swaps phone for box cutter
Three members of the Chicago Transit Authority’s security staff were the victims of an alleged aggravated assault April 11, when a passenger pulled a box cutter from his pocket and threatened the men with it.
According to a department report, an officer responded to the Desplaines Avenue station just before 4 a.m. after a 911 call was interrupted. When the officer arrived at the station the three security personnel had already subdued 36-year-old Kevin Faulkner, of Chicago. It was Faulkner who dialed 911, according to the report, but then he hung up the phone and instead pulled the weapon from his pocket in response to being asked to leave the area. Faulkner allegedly told police he had the knife in his hands because he needs it for work.
Same suspect, same day
A Maywood man who was cited for public intoxication at 3:30 p.m. was then arrested for trespassing some eight hours later on the same day. James T. Massey, 61, was found lying on a bench outside of the Harlem Avenue transit station with feces on his jeans and shoes, according to an officer’s report. Having had several encounters with the suspect previously, the officer asked whether Massey had been drinking.
“Not enough,” was Massey’s alleged response. He then proceeded to unzip his jeans to urinate on the wall of the station, but instead further soiled his pants. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Shortly before midnight, police were again called to remove Massey from the transit station after he had allegedly refused requests from transportation personnel to vacate the area. He was arrested for trespassing.
Teen charged with felony theft
An 18-year-old Maywood woman is facing felony charges for allegedly trying to steal more than $200 worth of merchandise from Wal-Mart, located on Roosevelt Road.
According to police, April S. Harris was spotted on the store’s video surveillance system April 7 stuffing some 31 items into a bag. Once in custody, Harris allegedly told authorities she came to the store to return some items for her grandmother, and then began trolling the aisles for various wares. She tried on several garments then made an effort to leave without paying for the goods, according to police.
Truck drivers slapped with fines
Between April 8 and April 10, Forest Park police issued at least four citations to motorists for allegedly driving overweight vehicles through the village.
Within an hour of one another, two drivers were hit with identical $135 fines the morning of April 9.
On April 8, a truck driver was found to be more than 22,800 pounds overweight and was fined $4,410. On April 10, another driver was cited for several weight infractions in addition to a registration violation. He was charged $3,560 in fines.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between April 6 and April 13, 2008, and represent only a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in this report has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not been adjudicated.
-Compiled by Josh Adams
