Regional Police Report: Man Charged in 1992 Murder

By Brian Slupski

Evanston
Man Charged in 1992 Murder

Twenty-one years after police found Deeondra Dawson, 25, brutally stabbed to death in her Evanston apartment, they resubmitted DNA evidence for analysis and pressed murder charges against a 43-year-old Chicago man.   

Jimmie Dunlap, of the 5300 block of South Cottage Grove in Chicago, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Dawson’s death.

Dunlap has 11 prior felony convictions, according to court documents. Most recently, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in August 2011 and was sentenced to one year in jail. Other prior convictions include possession of contraband in a penal institution, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, vehicular invasion, theft, robbery and residential burglary.

Barrington
Missing Teen Returns Home Safely

Brandon Baranowski returned home safely on Wednesday, May 29, the Lake County Sheriff's Department reported.

"Missing juvenile Brandon Baranowski was returned safely home to his family this evening. Thank you to all who shared!"

The news was confirmed by Baranowski's sister, Samantha Raucci on the Barrington High School Alumni Facebook page. 

"Thank you all for helping us to find Brandon. He has been safely returned home to us. An anonymous tip led us to his location. Previous assumptions were correct about who knew of his whereabouts. Again, thanks to all who shared my post and helped us get the word out there," Raucci's post read. 

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the disappearance of a 17-year-old Barrington teen last seen May 24.

Lake Forest
Fraud Scheme Nets Prison Sentence

A former Lake Forest man who's been in custody since Nov. 2008 is finally headed to federal prison for swindling at least 20 victims out of about $1.6 million in an investment fraud scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago.

William Block, 54, was sentenced May 23 to more than six years. He was also ordered to forfeit the $1.6 million and pay restitution of about $1.9 million, which includes the proceeds of a separate $300,000 bank account.

The feds said Block promised investors substantial profits, in some cases up to 300 percent returns over just six months, and instead used the money to finance a lavish lifestyle.

Block did not admit guilt but was found guilty earlier this month.

The government uncovered that between May 2002 and Nov. 2008, Block operated an investment fraud scheme in which he falsely told at least 20 individual investors that if they gave him money, he could pay fees and costs to recover certain monies to which he was entitled, and the investor would reap a financial reward.

Grayslake
Woman Killed in Wisconsin Crash

A Grayslake woman has been identified as the victim of a car crash that happened in Columbia County, near Madison, Wis., on the afternoon of Sunday, May 26.

Ann Collins-Schlagetter, 53, of Grayslake, was killed after her vehicle went off the road and struck a tree, reported theWisconsin State Journal. Collins-Schlagetter, the vehicle's only occupant, was not wearing a seat belt. Alcohol and speed did not appear to be factors in the crash, according to the report.