“Operation Streetsweeper” Results In 21 Repeat Offenders Arrested In Joliet

Joliet Police along with the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office arrested 21 people in Joliet in “Operation Streetsweeper.” Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said at a press conference on Thursday, “Operation Streetsweeper was a targeted effort by the Joliet Police Department and our local and federal law enforcement partners to address violent crime, identifying wanted individuals in the Joliet area who pose a serious threat to public safety in our city. They include those involved in acts of gun violence, individuals engaged in illegal drug trade, those who have physically harmed innocent victims, and repeat felony theft offenders.” He said by, “removing these dangerous individuals from our streets, we are taking significant steps to reduce the risk to our community and restore a sense of security to our neighborhoods.”

Statement from Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans:

Good afternoon and thank you all for being here today. My name is Bill Evans, and I am the Chief of Police for the Joliet Police Department. Today, I am proud to stand before you to announce the successful results of what has become the genuine product of very motivated and proactive policing and enforcement by the men and women of the Joliet Police Department and our law enforcement partners.  

Yesterday, Wednesday September 4th, Joliet Police Officers from the Tactical Unit, Narcotics Unit, Investigations Division, Neighborhood Oriented Policing Team, Evidence Section, Patrol, as well as our Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team conducted Operation Streetsweeper.  Operation Streetsweeper was a targeted effort by the Joliet Police Department and our local and federal law enforcement partners to address violent crime, identifying wanted individuals in the Joliet area who pose a serious threat to public safety in our city. They include those involved in acts of gun violence, individuals engaged in illegal drug trade, those who have physically harmed innocent victims, and repeat felony theft offenders. By removing these dangerous individuals from our streets, we are taking significant steps to reduce the risk to our community and restore a sense of security to our neighborhoods.

Operation Streetsweeper was a collaborative and joint effort that included the Joliet Police Department, Will County State’s Attorney Office, US Marshals Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Will County Adult Detention Facility Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Cook County Sheriff Office.  

The goal of this operation is simple: to make Joliet a safer place for our residents and to send a clear message that violent crime and illegal activities will not be tolerated in our city. This operation was also specifically designed to address the recent increase in violent crime in the Joliet area, including a concerning number of violent crimes involving firearms that has created a valid concern not only for our residents, but the Joliet Police Department as well.  

I am pleased to report that Operation Streetsweeper has resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals for a wide range of offenses such as aggravated battery with a firearm, narcotics delivery, burglary, felony theft, and felony retail theft, among other felony offenses. Many, if not all, of those arrested are repeat offenders who have continued to pose a threat to our community.

Of the many individuals that were taken into custody, I wanted to take a brief moment to highlight a few of the arrests:  

• D’Amonta Barber – 25 years old
  • Arrested for 2 Counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm and Possession of a Weapon by a Felon stemming from an investigation into a shooting that occurred in the 1400 block of North Center Street on July 24th, 2024.
  • When arrested, he was found to be in possession of narcotics and was additionally charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver and Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Deliver.  
• Mason Bailey – 22 years old 
  • Arrested for 2 Counts of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and 2 Counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm stemming from an investigation into a shooting that occurred on February 25th, 2023 in the 200 block of Lucas Street.  
• Demetrious Houston Junior – 25 years old 
  • Arrested for Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Peace Officer.  
  • Officers located Houston and 20 year old Donnell Brown in the 1300 block of Waverly Place yesterday.  Following a brief foot chase, both were found to be in possession of a handgun.  Both handguns had been modified with an automatic switch.  Again with the assistance of the Will County State’s Attorney Office, both were charged with Unlawful Possession/Use of a Weapon – Machine Gun.  
• Ricardo Neri Lopez – 30 years old 
  • Arrested for 2 Counts of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and 2 Counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm stemming from an investigation of a shooting that occurred on May 11th, 2024 in the 200 block of Henderson Avenue.  
• Tyler Marshall  – 23 years old 
  • Arrested for Aggravated Battery of a Child (Class X Felony) after an investigation of a case in which it alleged that Marshall seriously injured a 4 month old baby.  
• Mary Beth Mosqueda – 35 years old 
  • Arrested on a warrant for 2 Counts of Failure to Report a Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Personal Injury or Death following an investigation by the Crest Hill Police Department into a traffic crash that occurred in their city on March 9th 2024 in the 2100 block of Plainfield Road that resulted in the deaths of a 53 year old female and 68 year old male pedestrians

I want to emphasize that Operation Street Sweeper is still ongoing, and there are additional cases that remain under active investigation at this time. We are committed to pursuing every lead and ensuring that all individuals who pose a threat to public safety in our city are brought to justice. The work does not stop here, and we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to target those who choose to endanger our community.

This operation was not just about making arrests; it was about supplementing a sense of safety and security to our neighborhoods. The recent increase in shootings and other violent crimes has deeply affected our community, and we are determined to turn the tide. The people of Joliet deserve to live without fear of violence and other serious crime, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to make that a reality. This success would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in Operation Streetsweeper.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow and his office for their invaluable collaboration. The hard work of Mr. Glasgow and his assistant state attorneys in pursuing these charges has been critical to ensuring that those arrested will be held accountable for their actions. Their dedication to seeking justice for the people of Joliet and their tireless efforts in prosecuting these cases are essential to the overall success of our crime reduction strategies.

I also wish to extend my deepest gratitude to all of the additional law enforcement agencies involved in Operation Street Sweeper. Your expertise, resources, and unwavering commitment were instrumental in the success of this operation. This effort exemplifies the power of collaboration and the importance of working together to tackle the challenges that our communities face.

I want to send a clear and unequivocal message to those who commit violent and other serious crimes in the City of Joliet: We will not tolerate senseless acts of violence in our community. If you choose to engage in illegal activities that threaten the safety of our residents, know this—you will be located, you will be arrested, and you will be held accountable. We have zero tolerance for those who terrorize our neighborhoods, harm innocent people, or contribute to the cycle of violence. Our officers, along with our local and federal partners, are dedicated to tracking down and bringing to justice anyone who believes they can escape the consequences of their actions.

In closing, I want to reiterate our commitment to the safety and well-being of our community. Operation Street Sweeper is just one of many steps we are taking to ensure that Joliet is a safe place for everyone. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal, work with our partners, and engage with our community to achieve this goal. 

Now I would like to turn things over to Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.