DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Addison Chief of Police Roy Selvik announced last week that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for four Chicago men charged with breaking into an Addison café and stealing more than $13,000 from gaming machines.
Keonte Adams, 20, Dajuan Johnson, 24, Kyronte McCondichie, 20, and Daryl Nesbit, 19, each appeared in court on Oct. 30, and were charged armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon–machine gun, burglary, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, criminal damage to property, and aggravated fleeing and eluding,
On Oct. 29, the Addison Police Department and other DuPage County law enforcement agencies were executing a proactive saturation operation in response to a rash of gaming establishment burglaries in DuPage County and across the region. It is alleged that at approximately 4:32 a.m., authorities observed a black Dodge Durango and a white BMW, both of which had been reported as stolen, traveling in tandem westbound on Lake Street from Bruce Avenue.
It is alleged that at approximately 4:37 a.m., both vehicles backed into the front parking spots at Maria’s Gaming Café, located at 40 E. Lake St in Addison. It is further alleged that five individuals, four of whom were armed, broke into Maria’s using large sledgehammers and a crowbar. It is alleged that the five individuals were in the café for approximately two minutes, during which time they smashed the gaming machines with the sledgehammers and removed the cash boxes.
It is alleged that the individuals then left Maria’s Gaming Café, entered the BMW and Durango, and fled the scene. It is alleged that as the individuals fled, the BMW ran over spike strips, at which time the three occupants of the BMW exited the vehicle and entered the Durango, which now contained eight occupants.
As the Durango allegedly fled, officers with the Elmhurst Police Department activated their emergency lights and siren and attempted to stop the Durango at Lake Street and Route 83. It is alleged that instead of pulling over, the Durango continued to flee on Route 83 to North Avenue, where Villa Park police officers picked up the pursuit.
It is alleged that while fleeing on North Avenue, the Durango reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. It is further alleged that after officers successfully spike striped the Durango, the eight occupants exited the vehicle and fled northbound, across I-290, into an adjacent neighborhood in the area of Van Buren and 31st Avenue in Bellwood.
It is alleged that when the subjects exited the Durango, three firearms fell out of the vehicle. Following a foot pursuit and area search involving K9 units, drones and officers from multiple agencies, authorities took four individuals into custody.
When searching the Durango, authorities allegedly located a loaded Glock 22 with one bullet in the chamber, a 16-round magazine and a device affixed to the weapon that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic firearm; a loaded Glock 17C with one bullet in the chamber and a 31-round magazine; a loaded Zastava AK style firearm with one bullet in the chamber; a sledgehammer, a prybar and a cash box.
Officers also allegedly observed in plain view inside of the BMW a handgun in the front passenger seat, a second firearm in the middle rear seat and a sledgehammer in the rear seat area. Further investigation found that the amount of currency taken from the damaged gaming machines totaled $13,847.
“Businesses in our community should not have to operate in fear that their windows will be broken, doors kicked in and, in a moment, their property and livelihood stolen or destroyed, by a group of armed individuals who terrorize the community with no regard for the rule of law,” Berlin said. “Coordinated break-ins, such as alleged in this case, not only cause significant financial hardship to the victims, but also leave the entire community with a feeling of insecurity. The apprehension of the defendants in this case sends a crystal-clear message that in DuPage County, we will not sit idly by and allow anyone to prey on our businesses and threaten the safety and security of our communities. I commend the Addison Police Department as well as all the assisting agencies involved, whose collaborative, pro-active efforts, including drone air support and K-9 Units, led to the apprehension of four suspects. I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Robert Willis and Heather Misura for their efforts in preparing charges against these four defendants.”
“These violent and heavily armed burglary crews have been terrorizing the community and we will use every resource available to stop them,” Selvik said. “We are grateful for the aggressive actions of our Investigative Unit as well as State’s Attorney Bob Berlin, and we thank the members from our neighboring agencies for providing assistance.”
The defendants’ next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 23.
