On October 17, 2026, Reclaim13, a 501c3 organization who’s mission is to fight and end human trafficking, hosted its annual gala at the Hilton Chicago Oak Brook Hills Resort in Oak Brook. DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin is a proud supporter of the organization, its goals, and the efforts it has undertaken to support the victims of human trafficking in DuPage County.

State’s Attorney Berlin sends tremendous thanks and gratitude to the organization, and especially to its Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Cassandra Ma. Dr. Ma founded the organization in 2012 and it has helped countless victims of human trafficking since its inception.

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Last night, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin, Assistant State’s Attorneys and support staff from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office (DuPage SAO) joined Judges Ann Celine Walsh and Christina Kye and the Family Violence Coordinating Council (FVCC) in West Chicago for another Paint the Town Purple effort. This initiative brings community partners and volunteers together to raise awareness and make domestic violence resources more visible across DuPage County through our purple DV Resource QR Code Poster.

Since launching Paint the Town Purple last Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the FVCC and its partners (including the DuPage SAO) have expanded the initiative, by visiting four communities and distributing the QR Code posters to more than 260 businesses.

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On Friday, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin provided the keynote address at the “It Ends With Us Movement” Annual Gala at Empress Banquets. The It Ends With Us Movement empowers women to heal from relationship trauma and break generational cycles of abuse. The organization provides a safe sanctuary where women reconnect with their authentic selves, understand the roots of their pain, and build resilient futures for themselves and their children. Through compassionate resources, transformative wellness events, and practical guidance, the organization helps women transform their deepest wounds into their greatest strength. October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Berlin’s speech focused on the quantifiable progress that has been made in DuPage County combating domestic violence.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that a Villa Park man has been sentenced to fifty-five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for the murder of his girlfriend, twenty-four-year-old Jessica Reyes, following a domestic altercation at his apartment. Anthony Jimenez, 28 (d.o.b. 2/27/1998) formerly of the 1600 block of S. Michigan Avenue, appeared at his sentencing hearing yesterday afternoon in front of Judge Mia McPherson, who handed down the sentence. On May 8, 2026, Jimenez voluntarily entered a plea of guilty to one count of First Degree Murder. On July 19, 2024, Jimenez appeared in First Appearance Court where Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to detain him pre-trial. He has remained in custody at the DuPage County Jail since that time.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Chicago woman charged in connection with a shooting at the Oak Brook Mall late last month. Chance Jamerson, 29 (d.o.b. 5/5/1997) of the 12300 block of S. Yale Street, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with three counts of Attempt Armed Robbery, a Class 1 Felony.

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On October 8, 2026, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin participated in the Glendale Height’s Police Department’s inaugural “Let’s Go To Jail For Special Olympics Night.” The effort raised over $16,600 for Special Olympics Illinois. Each featured "inmate," was tasked to avoid jail time by raising bail from their friends, family, coworkers, and community supporters.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Addison Chief of Police Roy Selvik announced today that three juveniles, a fourteen-year-old female from Lombard and two twelve-year-old females from Addison, have been charged with threatening an Addison Junior High School. The Lombard juvenile appeared in Juvenile Court on September 9, 2026, in front of Judge Chantelle Porter who ordered she be placed on home detention with electronic monitoring. Her next court date is scheduled for September 25, 2026. The first Addison juvenile appeared in Juvenile Court on September 14, 2026, in front of Judge Porter who ordered that she be placed on home detention with electronic monitoring. Her next court date is scheduled for October 1, 2026. The second Addison juvenile appeared in Juvenile Court this morning in front of Judge Porter who ordered that she be placed on home detention with electronic monitoring. Her next court date is scheduled for October 23, 2026. The Lombard juvenile is charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct – Transmit Threat to School Building, a Class 4 Felony. The two Addison juveniles have each been charged with two counts of Disorderly Conduct – Transmit Threat to School Building.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael McLean announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to detain pre-trial a Villa Park man charged with sexually abusing a woman on the Illinois Prairie Path last week. Mario Ronces Ocampo, 39 (d.o.b. 10/22/1986) of the 300 block of Maple Avenue, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with one count of Aggravated Battery in a Public Place (Class 3 Felony) and one count of Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 4 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Representative Marti Deuter announced today that two initiatives proposed in Berlin’s office’s 2026 legislative package have been signed into law. One of the new laws strengthens law enforcement’s ability to prosecute those charged with animal cruelty while the other enhances protections for the elderly or persons with a disability and changes the definition of “caregiver”. The initiatives, now known as Public Act 104-0644 (amended the Humane Care for Animal Act) and Public Act 104-0671 (amended part of the Criminal Code of 2012) both passed the General Assembly in May 2026 and were signed into law by Governor Pritzker. Both laws go into effect on January 1, 2027.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Roselle Chief of Police Roberto Barreto announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Hanover Park man accused of attempting to rob an Uber driver at gunpoint. Nicholas Phillips, 31, (d.o.b. 12/16/1994) of the 1300 block of Sea Biscuit Lane, appeared in First Appearance Court yesterday afternoon charged with one count of Attempt Armed Robbery with a Firearm (Class 1 Felony), one count of Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Class 2 Felony), one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 3 Felony) and one count of Aggravated Battery in a Public Place (Class 3 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announced today that Andre Bridges, 35 (d.o.b. 9/16/1990) of the 1300 block of N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb and Nicole Smith, 40 (d.o.b. 4/7/1986) of the 1500 block of Watkins Lane, Naperville, each appeared in First Appearance Court this morning where Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for both defendants. Bridges and Smith are suspects in a home invasion that occurred on Monday, July 27, 2026, in unincorporated Naperville.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Wheaton Chief of Police P.J. Youker announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for the second of three men accused of carjacking a man at gunpoint and then leading police on a high-speed chase. Daveon Givens, 24 (d.o.b. 4/21/2002) of the 1200 block of Johnson Drive, Buffalo Grove, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class X Felony) one count of Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 4 Felony) and one count of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding (Class 4 Felony).

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Wheaton Chief of Police P.J. Youker announced today that Judge Louis Aranda has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Chicago man accused of carjacking a man at gunpoint and then leading police on a high-speed chase. Andrew Strong, 25 (d.o.b. 5/15/2001) of the 100 block of N. Laramie Avenue, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class X Felony) one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 3 Felony) and one count of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding (Class 4 Felony).

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On Tuesday, June 23, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin appeared before the DuPage County Board to present a plan to create DuPage County’s first Digital Forensics Unit within the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. Berlin’s presentation focused on “Digital Device Data” (DDD), which is contained on a variety of digital devices from smart phones and watches, to tablets, laptops, and more. Accordingly, DDD, when properly obtained pursuant to a search warrant, can be a crucial source of evidence in criminal investigations for law enforcement. However, the amount of DDD available for criminal investigations has increased faster than law enforcement’s capacity for retrieving, storing, and analyzing it. Digital forensics is the process of collecting, preserving, and analyzing DDD so that it can be used as reliable evidence in investigations and court proceedings.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that the second of four men accused of robbing at gunpoint a Wheaton T-Mobile store in May 2022 has been sentenced to twenty-eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Imari Paxton, 28 (d.o.b. 12/14/1997) formerly of Chicago, appeared at his sentencing hearing this afternoon in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell, who handed down the sentence. On April 28, 2026, Paxton entered a plea of guilty to one count of Armed Robbery with a Firearm, a Class X Felony. In exchange for his guilty plea, the State agreed to not recommend a sentence in excess of thirty-three years in the IDOC. Paxton has been held in custody at the DuPage County Jail since October 26, 2022, after Judge O’Connell granted the State’s motion to deny him bond. On April 23, 2025, one of Paxton’s accomplices, Marcus Melton, 32 (d.o.b. 2/25/1994), formerly of Lafayette, Indiana, entered a plea of guilty to the same count and received a sentence of twenty-one years in the IDOC.

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DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Hanover Park Chief of Police Andrew Johnson announced today that Judge Timothy McJoynt has granted the State’s motion to detain pre-trial a Hanover Park man accused of repeatedly Sexually Assaulting, Beating and Kidnapping his girlfriend. Jose Rojas-Alcocer, 32 (d.o.b. 4/9/1994) of the 6200 block of Kit Carson Drive, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with three counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault (Class X Felony), one count of Aggravated Kidnapping (Class X Felony), one count of Aggravated Domestic Battery (Class 2 Felony) and one count of Aggravated Battery (Class 3 Felony).

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On Friday, May 15, 2026, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin, Duo Dog Crew, and members of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, including members assigned to Crew and the Animal Protection Unit, attended the DuPage Furever Friends Gala at the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook. The gala was held in support of DuPage County Animal Services. Through financial support and advocacy, the organization ensures animals receive the care they need while working towards a future where every pet has a home.

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On Thursday, State's Attorney Berlin provided opening remarks to the attendees of the 18th Judicial Family Violence Coordinating Council’s (DuPage County) training seminar on addressing violence through exposure, risk, and prevention.

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On May 6, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin traveled to Springfield in his capacity as an Illinois Executive Committee member of Fight Crime: Invest In Kids to meet with members of the Illinois General Assembly to lobby for critical children’s programs that help stop crime before it happens. Berlin was joined by other members of Fight Crime: Invest In Kids including Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser, Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weiss, Lake Zurich Police Chief Steve Husak, Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins, and Urbana Police Chief Larry Boone. Berlin and others were specifically seeking funding for the Smart Start Early Childhood Workforce Grants and the Early Childhood Block Grant.

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Last Thursday, the 18th Judicial Family Violence Coordinating Council - DuPage County, IL's Paint the Town Purple event was held in Downers Grove. The event brought together volunteers to raise awareness and make resources visible across DuPage County using the DV Resource QR Code posters. A large contingent of Assistant State's Attorney's donated their personal time to help in the effort.

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