Illinois Verdicts & Court Cases

United States of America v. Jason Cloth

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represents Jason Cloth for allegedly defrauding investors out of $100 million. Digested by: Kent Morlan

State of Illinois v. Lakeia b.

Bloomington, Illinois, family law lawyer represented the Defendant in a parental rights termination action. Digested by: Kent Morlan In April 2025, the State filed a petition to terminate respondent's parental rights to the minors. The State alleged respondent was an unfit parent in that she f

United States of America v. Jalal Nimer Asad

Peoria, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with conspiring to defraud the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements in violation of 31 U.S.C. 5324. Digested by: Kent Morlan Jalal Nimer Asad, 62, of

United States of America v. Gladys Ibanez-Olea

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with bringing in an harboring aliens. Digested by: Kent Morlan Gladys Ibanez-Olea, age 37, served as a mid-level member of the Juarez Cartel. From September 2022 to February 2024, Ibanez-Olea engaged in a human traffi

United States of America v. Weston Goldstein

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant accused of wire fraud. Digested by: Kent Morlan Weston Goldstein, age 48, was responsible for procuring electronic devices for BTN and its employees. Over approximately eight years, Goldstein used company credit cards and the

United States of America v. Jason J. Gallo

East St. Louis, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in violation of 18 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(B). Reported by: Kent Morlan Jason J. Gallo attempted possession with the intent to dist

United States of America v. Brenda Knuth

Urbana, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with voting twice in a federal election. Reported by: Kent Morlan Brenda Knuth, age 61, voted more than once in a federal election. Knuth admitted that she voted early in the November 2024 general election and then vo

United States of America v. Kartik Saini

United States of America v. Sean Roundeau

Springfield, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with healthcare fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and five counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1347. Reported by Kent Morlan Rondeau had submitted more than 2,000 separate fraudulent claims. Sean R

United States of America v. Andrew Franklin

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with robbery and kidnapping. Reported by Kent Morlan Andrew Franklin, 19, of Chciago, DASHUN BROWN, 24, of Chicago, posed as a food delivery driver to cause an individual in the residence to open the front door. Arme

United States of America v. Titianna Ammons

Urbana, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represents the Defendant charged with hree counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding the U.S. Department of Labor and Illinois Department of Employment Security. Reported by Kent Morlan Beginning in January of 2021, Titanna Ammons’s unemployment

United States of America v. Darren Hughes

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with distributing drugs through the dark web marketplace known as the “Nemesis Market" and money laundering. Reported by Kent Morlan Darren Hughes, age 39, of San Jose, California, operated a vendor store offering

United States of America v. Octavia Renee Murphy

Springfield, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Reported by Kent Morlan Octavia Renee Murphy, 37, of the 700 block of Double Jack Street, conspired with others to defraud the SBA by submitting false applications for pandemi

State of Illinois v. David Hernandez

Marion, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with felony murder. Reported by Kent Morlan Davide Hernandez pleaded guilty to felony murder pursuant to a fully negotiated plea agreement with the State and was sentenced to 75 years in prison in 2003. The Defenda

United States of America v. Vincent Storme

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with cyberstalking and harassing former romantic partners. Reported by Kent Morlan Vincent Storme threatened and harassed six women after they ended their relationships with him. Storme stalked his victims both onl

United States of America v. Dennis McKay

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented by Defendant charged with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery affecting commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) and one count of discharging a firearm in connection to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii).

Sarah Hinkes v. Sunera Trechologies, Inc., et al.

Chicago, Illinois employment law lawyer represented the Plaintiff who sued in a civil rights violation theory. Reported by Kent Morlan Sarah Hinkes sued her employer and two other employees for several forms of discrimination that she said violated federal statutes. The matter was stay in

United States of America v. Danny L. Spyker

Rockford, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with sexual abuse of adult ward in custody. Reported by Kent Morlan Danny L. Spyker, worked as a cook supervisor in March 2024 when he knowingly engaged in sexual acts with two inmates. At the time, both victims wer

United States of America v. Alexander Martinez-Quiroz

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with unlawful transport of firearms. Alexander Martinez-Quiroz, age 35, of Chicago, possessed a rifle and handgun from December 2025 to April 2026. Martinez-Quiroz fired three shots from the handgun while standing in fro

State of Illinois v. Jaquell Hayes

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represents the Defendant charged with attempted first-degree murder. Jaquell Hayes, age 31, accused of shooting and seriously injuring a a 31-year-old man in the 100-block of West Adams Street in the Loop.

United States of America v. Damarri Conner

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with carjacking. On the evening of Nov. 2, 2023, DAMARRI CONNER and KENNETH MERRITT carjacked an Audi sedan in the backyard of a residence in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. A woman and her daughter had just returned

United States of America v. Robert Dunlap

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with fraud. Robert Dunlap claimed to operate a cryptocurrency business that sold a purported digital asset called “Meta-1 Coin” through a “Meta-1 Coin Trust.” Dunlap made numerous false and misleading statements

United States of America v. Anthony Gonzalez Alvarez

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with assaulting a police officer and misprision of a felony. On Oct. 3, 2025, Gonzalez Alvarez, 27, of Lyons, Ill., joined a caravan of vehicles that was following a vehicle driven by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (

State of Illinois v. Lorenzo Bell and Jahiem Russell

Wheaton, Illinois criminal defense lawyers represent the Defendants charged with aggravated unlwful posession of a firearm and aggravated fleeing and eluding and unlawfule possession of a stole licence plate. The vehicle the Defendants were in eventually struck road barrels near the Ogden Avenue

John Doe, et al. v. Abbott Labs

Chicago, Illinois, personal injury lawyers represented the Plaintiff who sued the Defendant on product liability theories. The parents of four babies who were sickened by baby formula manufactured and sold by Abbott Labs.

United States of America v. Barbara Harris

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with fraud. Barbara Harris served as the Executive Director of the Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP), which received government grants to provide after-school programs to schools in the Chicago

The People of the State of Illinois v. Robert J. Tarr

Hillsboro, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with irst degree murder and attempted first degree murder. The trial court sentenced defendant to 85 years in prison. The State charged defendant with three counts of first degree murder following the death of Leslie R

The People of the State of Illinois v. Charlton Merchant

Edwardsville, Illinois, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with first degree murder in violation of section 9-1(a)(1) of the Criminal Code of 2012 (Code) (720 ILCS 5/9-1(a)(1) (West 2020)), and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon (UUWF) in violation of section 24-1.1(

United States of America v. Edwin Bonilla Mendoza

Urbana, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with illegal re-entry of a previously removed alien. Edwin Bonilla Mendoza, was accused of knowingly being the United States without permission after previouosly been removed from the country.

United States of America v. Jose Medina-Medina

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with illegally owning a firearm. Jose Medina-Medina illegally possessed a handgun on March 20, 2026, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Chicago Police officers discovered the firea

United States of America v. Tatiana Bazer

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represents the Defendant charged with fraud and impersonating and officer or employee of the United States. Tatiana Bazer falsely represented to victims that their money would be used in various ways, including, among things, projects in Ukraine, immigra

State of Illinois v. Jenna Strouble

Joliet, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represents the Defendant charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Jenna Strouble, age 32, accused of killing three people including Jacob Lambert, age 32, with whom she had an "on/off relationship" with Stroble. His parents, Patrick Forde, 55, a

United States of America v. Julian Torres adn Brandon Osorio

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyers represent the Defendants charged with illegal transportation of a firearms. Julian Torres, age 19, and Brandon Osorio, age 29, were arrested after their residence was searched. During the search, agents discovered a short-barrel rifle and ten handguns,

United States of America v. Kristain Harris

Peoria, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with three counts of distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine (“ice”) and one count of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (“ice”). At the sentencing hearing on March 10, 2026, the govern

United States of America v. Rickey Martin, Jr.

East St. Louis, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with armed robbery. Rickey Martin, Jr., 36, robbed a motel in Maryville, Illinois at gunpoint.

United States of America v. Trent Schneider

Chicago, Illinois criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with threatening to kill multiple public officials, including President Donald J. Trump, the 47th and 45th President of the United States. On Oct. 21, 2025, Trent Schneider, age 58, of Winthrop, Illinois, posted a video

State of Illinois v. Jose Medina

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represents the Defendant charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Venezuela migrant Jose Medina, age 25, accused of killing Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman.

The People of the State of Illinois v. Angelo Evans

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with sexual assault and attempted murder. KRW, a family friend, testified about Evans sexually assaulting her and then attempting to kill her in the early hours of April 7, 1994. Evans came to her apartment

United States of America v. Rickey Martin, Jr.,

East St. Louis, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandish and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. Rickey Martin, Jr., 36, robbed a motel in Maryville, Illinois at gunpoint. Martin admitted to robb

United States of America v. Kristain Harris

Peoria, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with distributing meth.

United States of America v. David Quinones

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with raudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). From 2018 to 2023, David Quinones gave cash or other items to SNAP recipients in exchange for acces

United States of America v. Mark A. Pingsterhaus

East St. Louis, Illinois criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with wire fraud and theft of government property. Mark A. Pingsterhaus, age 52, of Carlyle, is accused of using City of Carlyle and Carlyle Fire Protection District funds for unauthorized and personal expenses lik

United States of America v. James R. Nelson

Urbana, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer Meldinda Powers represented the Defendant charged with knowingly possess a destructive device, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in violation if 26 U.S.C. Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871. James R. Nelson, ag

United States of America v. Keith Griffin

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with criminal contempt and withholding information on a crime. Attorney Keith Griffin, age 54, of Temple City, California, worked for the California personal injury law firm Girardi Keese, which represented relatives of

State of Illinois v. Terry Williams and Ricky Williams

Chicago, Illinois criminal defense lawyers represent the Defendants charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery charges. Terry Williams, 63, and Ricky Williams, 66, shooting a 55-year-old man on Chicago’s West Side.

United States of America v. Kennard Cameron

Chicago, Illinois criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with sex trafficking children. Kennard Cameron, 40, of Chicago, recruited and enticed a 15-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts in a motel in Lansing, Ill., in 2023. Cameron had photographed the girl wearing li

State of Illinois v. Pezhman Gilani Yahyavi and Mahmood Bashang

Wheaton, Illinois, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendants charged with armed robbery. Pezhman Gilani Yahyavi, 46, and Mahmood Bashang, 30, were each charged one count of disorderly conduct, falsely reporting a crime. Bashang allegedly told the dispatcher the two were jewelry vend

United States of America v. Shawn Christopher Powell

Council Bluffs, Iowa, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with attempted enticement of a minor. Shawn Christopher Powell, 52, communicated with a person he believed was a 13-year-old female between May and August 2025. Powell sent messages about wanting to engage in sex acts

United States of America v. Joseph Jared St. Pierre

Benton, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with production of child pornography. Law enforcement officers responded to a report of sexual assault in July 2024 when the mother of a 13-year-old minor discovered a video on the minor’s cell phone of the minor engagi

United States of America v. James Nelson

Urbana, Illinois criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with knowingly possessingly a destructive device, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, in violation if 26 U.S.C. Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871. The government played the body