6 | December 13, 2018 | The wilmette beacon news wilmettebeacon.com Police Reports Wilmette vacuum thieves nabbed after trying to return stolen goods Lamar Wimberly, 51, and Amy Marie Santiago, 42, both of Chicago, were arrested following a retail theft Dec. 4 at Bed Bath & Beyond, 3232 Lake Ave., Wilmette. A store employee notified police that between 11:19-11:25 a.m. two unknown subjects left the store with two vacuums they hadn’t paid for. The employee sent surveillance stills to surrounding stores. At approximately 2 p.m. Wimberly and Santiago were identified at the Skokie Bed Bath & Beyond for allegedly trying to return the stolen vacuums. They were taken into custody by the Skokie Police Department and turned over to Wilmette Police officers. Santiago was released without charges and Wimberly was charged with misdemeanor theft. Wimberly also had an outstanding warrant from the Palatine Police Department and was transferred to their custody at approximately 6:20 p.m. Wilmette Dec. 7 • A resident in the 60 block of Indian Hill Road reported that between 8:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 9 p.m. Dec. 4 an unknown offender(s) stole two rings from her home. • A resident in the 2200 block of Greenwood Avenue told police that during the overnight hours of Dec. 6 an unknown offender(s) stole a package that had been delivered to the home. Dec. 6 • A resident in the 3100 block of Nina Avenue reported that between Dec. 2-6 an unknown offender(s) entered his residence using brute force but did not appear to have taken anything. • A resident in the 1200 block of Elmwood Avenue told police that between 8-10:45 a.m. an unknown offender(s) removed a window well cover and pushed a window open. It did not appear entry was gained to the residence. Dec. 5 • A resident in the 2800 block of Birchwood Avenue reported that at sometime overnight Dec. 4 an unknown offender(s) entered his unlocked vehicle and removed change, ear buds and an insurance card. Dec. 4 • A resident in the 700 block of Forest Avenue told police that on Dec. 3 an unknown offender(s) entered his home through one of several unlocked doors and took miscellaneous items. Dec. 3 • A resident in the 200 block of Westmoreland Drive reported that during the overnight hours of Dec. 2 an unknown offender(s) entered his unlocked vehicle parked in his driveway and stole $30 and a black briefcase. Dec. 2 • Mariela Avila-Vilchez, 26, of Chicago, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence at 4:49 a.m. Dec. 2 at the intersection of Lake Avenue and Skokie Boulevard. Wilmette Police allegedly found Avila-Vilchez seated in her vehicle with the hazards. She failed field sobriety tests and was arrested for DUI and having a revoked driver’s license. She was transported to the Wilmette Police Department where she was processed for felony DUI. Dec. 1 • A resident in the 900 block of 16th Street reported that on Nov. 30 an unknown offender(s) stole a recently delivered package from her front porch. Kenilworth • There were no Police Reports for the week of Nov. 30-Dec. 7. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Wilmette Beacon Police Reports are compiled from official reports found on file at the Wilmette and Kenilworth police headquarters. They are ordered by the date the incident was reported. Individuals named in these reports are considered innocent of all charges until proven guilty in a court of law. Ex-Loyola Academy teacher pleads not guilty to 64 child porn, sexual assault charges Jason Addy Contributing Editor A former teacher at schools around the North Shore pleaded not guilty Monday, Dec. 3, Laird to more than five dozen felony counts of child pornography and sexual assault charges. Mathew Laird, 33, of the 3900 block of Triumvera Drive in Glenview, was arraigned on 64 felony charges during a short hearing Monday at the Cook County Second District Courthouse in Skokie. After the charges were read, Ralph Meczyk, Laird’s attorney, told Judge Lauren Edidin his client “pleads not guilty to all charges.” Laird was arrested Oct. 23 at his home and charged with five felonies, including criminal sexual assault and possession and distribution of child pornography. Laird was charged with sexual assault after a young woman reported to authorities that Laird assaulted her in late 2012 or early 2013 following a night of studying for college exams. Prosecutors said the woman told police she fell asleep and awoke to Laird groping and raping her. He continued to assault her after she woke up and told him to stop, prosecutors said. During a search of his home in September, police discovered he videotaped a portion of the alleged assault and uploaded it to an adult-pornography website without the woman’s consent. Police also found “several hundred” pornographic images and videos of former high school students. Police also discovered pornographic materials depicting adults engaging in sexual activity with children as young as 3 years old, prosecutors have said. At the end of October, Assistant State’s Attorney Andreana Turano told the court Laird was facing additional charges after more victims came forward to authorities to report they were shown in the materials found during the September search of Laird’s home. New case, new charges Since that Oct. 30 hearing, prosecutors have filed almost 60 new charges against Laird, according to court documents. Prosecutors have charged the former Loyola Academy and North Shore Special Education District educator with one count of aggravated criminal assault, a Class X felony; one count of criminal sexual assault - nonconsensual, a Class 1 felony; two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony; two counts of criminal sexual abuse - nonconsensual and one count of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images, both Class 4 felonies. Laird’s charges also include 55 counts related to child pornography: Dissemination of child pornography: victim under 13 - Class X felony - four counts Dissemination of child pornography - Class 1 felony - 10 counts Possession of child pornography - Class 2 felony - 10 counts Possession of child pornography: victim under 13 - Class 2 felony - 19 counts Possession of child pornography (videos) - Class 3 felony - 12 counts Laird also pleaded not guilty Monday to two Class 1 felony counts of criminal sexual assault - victim between 13 and 17. No bail After Laird’s arrest in October, prosecutors filed five felony charges against Laird in two separate cases — one for the sexual assault charges and another for the child pornography charges. A Cook County judge initially denied bail for Laird before reducing his bail to $500,000 for the three child pornography charges he faced and $250,000 for the two sexual assault charges against him. A grand jury, however, indicted Laird on 64 charges split across three cases in November. On Monday, Judge Edidin denied bail for Laird on the third case, meaning Laird will not be able to leave the Cook County Jail even Please see LOYOLA, 8
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