New year, old jury scam, Kane court officials warn
Kane County court officials are warning of a scam to get money under the guise of missed jury duty.
In the scam, which the Illinois Supreme Court says recently was executed in nearby Kendall County, a caller says he is "Captain David Allen" from the "Federal Warrant Division."
The caller tells the potential victim an arrest warrant has been issued because the resident missed jury duty, but they can avoid arrest if they pay a fine immediately.
The caller asks for credit card information or tells the resident to buy a "moneypak," which is a type of prepaid credit card, and to call Captain Allen at a certain number.
The resident is then supposed to read the numbers off the moneypak to Allen to pay the fine and cancel the warrant.
"The Kane County Jury Commission does not directly contact citizens by phone, and they do not issue arrest warrants for failure to appear for jury duty," said Kane County court authorities. "By law, all initial contact with citizens, by the jury commission, is by U.S. Postal First Class Mail. In addition, the Kane County sheriff does not demand payment of any warrant fine over the phone."
This scam is similar to a ruse in which a caller claims to be from the IRS and demands payment to cancel an "arrest warrant."
People should call their local police department or the Kane County sheriff's department at (630) 232-6840 if they are contacted.
Businesses pass test:
No news was good news in a recent alcohol compliance check conducted by Aurora police of 14 businesses.
"To the pleasure of officers, all of the establishments 'carded' the underage person working with Aurora Police and did not sell alcohol to the minor," police said in a statement.
Cactuses seized in search:
A 28-year-old Island Lake man was arrested Tuesday after authorities seized multiple cactuses from his residence that later tested positive for Peyote, which contains the hallucinogen Mescaline, authorities said.
Anthony A. Vangelista faces between six and 30 years in prison if convicted of manufacture of a controlled substance, authorities say. His bond was set at $100,000 and he is due in court Monday.
The McHenry County Sheriff's Office's Intelligence Led Policing Unit and the U.S. Marshal's Service Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force executed a warrant in August on the 100 block of South Circle Drive, Island Lake, and seized "multiple cactus plants," several bags of heroin, a firearm and ammunition, Sheriff Bill Prim said in a release.
After the Illinois State Police Forensic Sciences Laboratory confirmed the seized cactus plants contained Peyote, Vangelista was arrested.
hhitzeman@dailyherald.com