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Michael Buhrman

Monday, December 10, 2012

Murder-for-Hire, Sexual Exploitation of Teens, Pipe Bomb Plot: Court Watch

Patch covers happenings in major court cases, including a former Wheaton man's charges of hiring a fellow inmate to kill two public officials and two others and a Naperville man's sexual exploitation trial.

Wheaton: A judge recently ruled that DuPage prosecutors used an improper tactic to bring a murder-for-hire suspect in for questioning. However, Judge George Bakalis decided the information obtained in the interview, and ultimately the charges filed against Gordon Vanderark, would have been no different if the tactic had not been used, records show. Vanderark is charged with trying to hire a fellow prison inmate to kill a DuPage County Judge and assistant state's attorney tied to a previous felony conviction that landed Vanderark in prison. Prosecutors used a confidential source to learn about Vanderark's plan and set up a "ruse" hearing on an unrelated issue to have Vanderark brought back from the Centralia Correctional Center.  Once in …

Monday, December 3, 2012

Murder Trial, Police Seek Carjacking Suspect, 7-Eleven Robbery: Court Watch

Patch reports updates in major court cases, including an evaluation for a man suspected of murder and the unknown whereabouts of a carjacking suspect.

Lisle: A second man charged in a July 7-Eleven robbery has pleaded guilty for his part in the incident, records show. Antonio Finley, 21, pleaded guilty to a robbery charge and was sentenced to six years in prison as part of a deal with prosecutors, who dropped several other counts against Finley. He was given credit for four months in DuPage County Jail and received a recommendation of a prison boot camp, which could shorten his prison time. In October, 17-year-old Steven Gayden was sentenced to four years in prison in connection to the robbery. He also was given a boot camp recommendation. Two other men - DeShaun Wilson and Antwan James - have related cases that are pending. Related: Naperville: A Naperville man will be evaluated once …

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