Robert J Callahan | Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Lawyer | Attorney
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Recent Criminal Case Victories

Robert J. Callahan

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Call (312) 322-9000 and Start Fighting for Your Rights.

Click on the criminal defense case victory links below to learn how we won each case.

Recently Won Cases

(Actual Dates and Cases)

February 2023

Class X Predatory Sexual Assault of a Child – CASE DISMISSED Solicitation of Unlawful Business – CASE DISMISSED

January 2023

Class 4 Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance – CASE DISMISSED Battery – CASE DISMISSED Unlawful use of a Weapon in an airport – CASE DISMISSED

December 2022

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

November 2022

Unlawful use of a Weapon in an airport – CASE DISMISSED Reckless Conduct – CASE DISMISSED Possession of Ammunition – CASE DISMISSED

September 2022

Unlawful Use of a Weapon – CASE DISMISSED Trespass – CASE DISMISSED

August 2022:

Class 3 Felony Retail Theft Charges – CASE DISMISSED

June 2022:

Theft and Possession of Bank Identification Card – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED Criminal Damage to Property –

Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED
Class 4 Felony Unlawful Use of Weapon – NOT GUILTY
Class 1 Felony Possession of an Controlled Substance – CASE DISMISSED
Domestic Battery – CASE DISMISSED Theft and Possession of Bank Identification Card – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

May 2022

First Degree Murder – CASE DISMISSED Class 4 Felony Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – CASE DISMISSED

Assault – CASE DISMISSED
Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapon by a Felon – CASE DISMISSED
Violation of Concealed Carry Permit – CASE DISMISSED
First Degree Murder – REDUCED TO ARMED ROBBERY

April 2022

Class 4 Felony Criminal Damage to Property – REDUCED TO A MISDEMEANOR

Unlawful Use of Weapon – CASE DISMISSED

March 2022

Aggravated Assault – CASE DISMISSED

February 2022

Class 4 Felony Unlawful Use of Weapon – REDUCED TO A MISDEMEANOR

Domestic Battery – CASE DISMISSED
Class 3 Felony Theft – NOT GUILTY

JANUARY 2022

DUI- Class A Misdemeanor – Dismissed

Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor – Dismissed

DECEMBER 2021

Domestic Battery – Class A Misdemeanor – Dismissed

NOVEMBER 2021

Battery- Bodily Harm – Class A Misdemeanor- Dismissed

OCTOBER 2021

Violation of Order of Protection – Class A Misdemeanor- Bench Trial- Not Guilty

Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor- Dismissed

SEPTEMBER 2021

Domestic Battery-Bodily Harm- Class A Misdemeanor – Bench Trial- Not Guilty

Possession of Controlled Substance- Class 4 Felony – Dismissed
Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class 4 Felony – Dismissed

AUGUST 2021

Manufacturing and Delivery of 900+ grams of Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Heroin – CASE DISMISSED

Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED
Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class 4 Felony – Entered into Veteran’s Treatment Court

JULY 2021

Disorderly Conduct – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Leaving the Scene of an Accident – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

JUNE 2021:

Theft and Possession of Bank Identification Card – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Retail Theft- Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED Possession of Cannabis in a Motor Vehicle – Ordinance Violation – CASE DISMISSED
Criminal Damage to Property – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

MAY 2021:

Domestic Violence Order of Protection – CASE DISMISSED

Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

APRIL 2021:

Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class 4 Felony – REDUCED TO CLASS A MISDEMEANOR WITH SUPERVISION

Theft – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED
Theft By Deception – Class 3 Felony – CASE DISMISSED
Identity Theft – Class 3 Felony – CASE DISMISSED
Domestic Battery – Bodily Harm – Class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

MARCH 2021:

Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

FEBRUARY 2021:

Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

November 2020

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

October 2020

Leaving the Scene – Class A Felony – CASE DISMISSED

No Stalking Petition – VACATED
Aggravated UUW – Class 4 Felony – FINDING NO PROBABLE CAUSE
Aggravated UUW – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

September 2020

Disorderly Conduct – CASE DISMISSED

August 2020

Aggravated UUW – Class 4 – FINDING NO PROBABLE CAUSE

JULY 2020

MB and son JB – Murder Charges ruled self defense after hearing – CASE DISMISSED

Applied for Clemency on Cannabis charges – CLEMENCY GRANTED
Three (3) separate cases of manufacturing/delivery of cocaine – Class 1 felonies – CASE DISMISSED

MARCH to JUNE COURTS CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19

APRIL 2020

Violation of Order of Protection- Class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Leaving the Scene of Accident- Class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Felony Sealing – GRANTED

Felony Gun Case Sealing – GRANTED

Battery- class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Aggravated Sexual Abuse Investigation – NOT CHARGED

March 2020

JB – Class X- MDMA/Ecstasy Possession with Intent to Deliver – looking at 6-30 years IDOC – CASE DISMISSED

Disorderly Conduct – CASE DISMISSED

Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

February 2020

MF -1st Degree Murder – ACQUITTED

Battery to a child – CASE DISMISSED

Order of Protection – CASE DISMISSED

Possession of Cannabis – Class 4 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Weapon – CASE DISMISSED

Deceptive Practices – Class 4 felony – CASE DISMISSED

DUI – REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING

January 2020

AW – Aggravated Arson-class X – Dismissed

Criminal Trespass to Land – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

December 2018

Possession of Controlled Substance- Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

Possession of Cannabis – Class 4 Felony & Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor – DISMISSED

November 2018

Battery – Misdemeanor – BENCH TRIAL- NOT GUILTY

Battery – Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Battery and Obstruction of Justice – CASE DISMISSED

People v. GK, Agg Speeding – Misdemeanor – REDUCED TO PETTY OFFENSE

DUI – REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING

People v. AN, DUI – REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING

October 2018

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Assault – CASE DISMISSED

Felony Class 4 possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

Disorderly conduct – CASE DISMISSED

Felony aggravated DUI – NOT GUILTY

September 2018

Felony Class 3 criminal fortification of a residence or building – FINDING OF NO PROBABLE CAUSE AT A PRELIMINARY HEARING – CASE DISMISSED

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of heroin – CASE DISMISSED

Domestic battery – CASE DISMISSED

Violation of an Order of Protection – DISMISSED

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Unlawful use of a weapon – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of cocaine – CASE DISMISSED

August 2018

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

July 2018

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

Driving on a suspended license – CASE DISMISSED

Possession of marijuana – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

June 2018

DUI – Misdemeanor – DISMISSED ON MOTION TO DISMISS 06/2018

Battery Misdemeanor – DISMISSED

Civil Forfeiture – HEARING WON – CAR RETURNED

May 2018

Pardon – GRANTED W/ LEAVE TO EXPUNGE

Battery Misdemeanor – DISMISSED – CONVINCED STATE IT WAS SELF DEFENSE

Expungement – EXPUNGEMENT GRANTED

April 2018

Executive Clemency Petition (AKA Governor’s Pardon) for Class 2 felony burglary – GRANTED

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

March 2018

Class 2 unlawful use of a weapon by a felon – NOT GUILTY

February 2018

Domestic battery – CASE DISMISSED

January 2018

Domestic battery – CASE DISMISSED

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CARJACKING: CHICAGO’S NEW PANDEMIC

July 7, 2021 / Robert J Callahan / Blog
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car jacking
Since the beginning of 2020, it’s been happening all over the city, to all types of Chicagoans, and in all types of ways: Carjacking. Legally known under the Illinois Criminal Code as vehicular hijacking and vehicular invasion. In 2020, there were more than 1,462 carjackings, up from 609 in 2019. That’s a 135% increase in one year. Carjackings occurred at a rate of 4 per day in 2020 with all 22 police districts in the city experiencing a rise in carjackings. This year doesn't look any better, in fact, it’s on track to be worse. To date, we have 708, compared to 416 at the same time last year. How and why are these crimes occurring? More importantly, what is the criminal consequences for carjacking in Cook County, Illinois?   HOW ARE CARJACKINGS HAPPENING IN CHICAGO?   A simple google search for “carjacking in Chicago” reveals the variety of situations in which carjackings occur:   ● “Bald Teens Yanking People From Cars In Douglas Carjackings” ● “Five Young Kids Try To Steal Woman’s Car But Can’t Figure Out Ignition” ● “Lawndale Teen In Custody After Carjacking State Trooper in Cicero.” ● “Woman Punched in the Face By Carjackers in Hyde Park” ● “Chicago Bear Kevin White’s Maserati Found After Being Carjacked” ● “Uber Driver Carjacked on Lake Shore Drive” ● “Carjacker Takes Off With Victim’s Pet Rabbit In Front Seat”   As these headlines suggest, carjackings are often done in groups and can be very violent. According to the Chicago Police Department Community Policing Release “Carjacking: What You Should Know, ” carjackers commonly use two scenarios to carry out a vehicular hijacking. The “Bump and Run” and the “Stranded Motorist.” In the “Bump and Run” scenario your car is rear-ended. When you go to access the damage, a passenger from the other car jumps in and takes off with your vehicle. In the “Stranded Motorist,” a person acts like they are stranded along the road and in need of help. When you stop to assist, you get carjacked. So much for being a good samaritan.   WHERE ARE PEOPLE GETTING CARJACKED?   Carjackings are happening all over the city. Every zip code in the city experienced at least one carjacking in 2020. Every police district saw dramatic increases in the rates of vehicular hijacking/invasion in 2020. On the Westside, Near West, Gresham, and Harrison districts, carjackings doubled, with each having more than 100 carjackings than in 2020. On the northside, in the Town Hall District, which covers parts of Lincoln Park, Lake View, Uptown, and Ravenswood, carjackings tripled. This district had 38 carjackings, as compared to 11 in 2019. Overall, the highest increase in carjacking incidents occurred on the Southside and Westside of the city. In 2021, there appears to be an increase in these crimes occurring in downtown areas like River North or Fulton Market.   UBER CARJACKINGS   Rideshare drivers were particularly vulnerable to carjackings in Chicago in 2020 as compared to years prior. The number of carjackings jumped drastically from one each year in 2018 and 2019 to sixteen in 2020. Of those sixteen incidents, thirteen incidents involved guns, two involved knives or sharp objects, and 3 had the rideshare driver physically overpowered without a weapon involved. Things are not getting better in 2021. In response to carjackers shooting an Uber driver and leaving him braindead earlier this month, Chicago Police issued a warning to rideshare drivers after an increase of incidents with rideshare drivers since May 21, 2021.   TYPES OF CARS CARJACKED   Are thieves targeting high-end cars like Mercedes, Bentleys, BMWs, and others? Not really. The most often carjacked cars are simply the most common cars on the market: Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Chevrolet.   ARRESTS: THE STATISTICS   The Chicago Police Department’s 2020 crime statistics date shows 215 cases (366 arrested individuals) resulted in arrests out of the 1,462 carjacking cases in 2020. That’s only a 15% clearance rate of carjacking cases versus arrests. Of that 15%, most arrestees came from the same Southside and Westside that saw the highest increase in carjackings in 2020.   Juveniles are overrepresented as offenders in this category. More than half of those arrested for vehicular hijacking/invasion were under the age of 18, the youngest of those arrestees being only 10 (though the oldest offenders were in their mid-50s).   CARJACKING: OFFENSES & PUNISHMENT   There is no such thing as carjacking under Illinois criminal law. That term encompasses a broad amount of criminal offenses dealing with auto theft. Colloquially, it refers to taking someone’s car by force. It does so legally as well. The term carjacking implies theft of a car by force or the threat of force and therefore the applicable Illinois criminal offense(s) are (Agg) Vehicular Hijacking and (Agg) Vehicular Invasion.   In Illinois, Vehicular Hijacking is defined as: A person commits vehicular hijacking when he or she knowingly takes a motor vehicle from the person or the immediate presence of another by the use of force or by threatening the imminent use of force.   Vehicular Hijacking is a class 1 felony. Probation is not an option. Mandatory 4-15 year sentence.   Vehicular Hijacking becomes Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking under the following circumstances: ● The victim is 60 years or older/disabled (Class X felony- 6-30 years) ● There is a passenger under 16 (Class X felony- 6-30 years) ● Defendant armed with a dangerous weapon other than a firearm (Class X felony- 7-30 years) ● Defendant armed with a firearm (Class X felony- 21-year minimum) ● Defendant discharges a firearm (Class X felony-26 year minimum) ● Defendant causes great bodily harm or death of another (Class X felony- 32-year minimum)   The other most applicable offense to carjackings under Illinois law is Vehicular Invasion. Vehicular Invasion is defined as, “when he or she knowingly, by force and without lawful justification, enters or reaches into the interior of a motor vehicle while the motor vehicle is occupied by another person or persons, with the intent to commit therein a theft or felony.” Vehicular Invasion is a Class 1 felony that is not eligible for probation and carries 4-15 years in prison.   CONCLUSION Vehicular Hijacking, Vehicular Invasion, carjacking, whatever you want to call it, is a major issue plaguing Chicago. For those arrested for these offenses, the stakes are extremely high. If you or a loved one faces a vehicular hijacking or vehicular invasion felony offense, as well as any auto theft felony offense, call criminal defense attorneys at Robert Callahan & Associates. Our firm has substantial experience in auto theft felony, as well as all types of criminal matters from Driving Under the Influence to First Degree Murder. Call us now at 312 322 9000.
carjacking, stolen cars

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Robert J Callahan | Chicago Defense Lawyer
53 W JACKSON BLVD # 1615
CHICAGO IL 60604-3536

Phone: (312) 322-9000
Fax: (312) 427-1289



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Robert J. Callahan

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