Two weeks ago state troopers pulled over a vehicle on Interstate 80 near Geneseo; just outside our district; and found more than 5000 pounds of marijuana inside. It was one of the largest drug seizures in the history of the Illinois State Police. The two California men in the vehicle were arrested and charged with several felonies, including cannabis trafficking and unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.
Unfortunately, the arrest occurred two days after Illinois’ new no-cash-bail law went into effect, and so even though the state’s attorney in Henry County sought to detain the two suspects, they were released and told to return for their next court date in November.
We are now just a couple of weeks into this new no-cash-bail landscape, and stories like this one are popping up all over the state. Police make arrests in very serious crimes, prosecutors file charges, and then the suspects are released back out into the community.
For example, in suburban DuPage County, six men smashed the window of a business and stole $68,000 in merchandise. One of the suspects cut his finger and police were able to track him down through a DNA match and arrest him. The suspect, already on parole for armed robbery and aggravated battery, was charged and released. The local state’s attorney said, “He’s a threat to the community,” but was unable to keep him in jail because of the new law.
Police and prosecutors warned that this is exactly what would happen when the SAFE-T Act was first passed in 2021. Now those warnings are coming true. Our first responsibility as lawmakers is to keep the people of Illinois safe. This law does the exact opposite.
