Authorities continue hunt for Streamwood fugitive facing life sentence
A day after fleeing the Cook County courthouse in Rolling Meadows hours before a jury found him guilty of drug and weapons charges that could send him to prison for the rest of his life, James Utley remains on the lam.
Cook County Sheriff's police are heading up the hunt for the 37-year-old Streamwood man, who authorities believe fled Wednesday as a jury deliberated whether to rule him an armed habitual criminal. Jurors eventually convicted Utley on that charge, as well as possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Streamwood Deputy Police Chief Ed Valente said his department is assisting the sheriff's police in their search for Utley by sharing information and checking his past addresses.
“Obviously this is somebody we would like to apprehend as soon as possible,” Valente said of Utley, who had prior felony convictions for delivery of a controlled substance and aggravated battery with a firearm.
Glenn Jazwiec, Utley's defense attorney, declined to comment Thursday.
Authorities say Utley most recently lived in the 1100 block of Fulton Street in Streamwood. It was there in February 2014 that police and Illinois Department of Corrections agents found 27.6 grams of heroin, 78.7 grams of cocaine, digital scales, a 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, a .38-caliber revolver and more than 150 rounds of ammunition while arresting Utley on a parole violation, county prosecutors say.
During his trial this week, Utley testified the drugs and guns found at the home did not belong to him. He said his estranged wife lived with their children in the Streamwood home, while he lived with his sister in Schaumburg. He claimed he initially told police the drugs and weapons were his protect his children.
“I said, 'I'll say whatever you want me to say,'” testified Utley, who claimed police told him they would give $1,000 recovered from the Streamwood home to his children if he confessed.
Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta issued a no-bail warrant for Utley after he failed to appear in court Wednesday to hear the jury's verdict. He was free on bond during the trial.