Teen Burglary Suspects, Victim Had Prior Relationship

A prior relationship existed between the and a 17-year-old resident of the home, according to the attorney for one of the suspects.

Joseph Mahoney and Josh Norris, both 17, of Deerfield, were charged with breaking into a Highland Park home in the 3000 block of Parkside Aug. 3 where Jacob Lynn, 17, lives. stemming from the police investigation into the burglary.

“It came out at the bond hearing (for Norris and Mahoney) that he (Lynn) was a previous source of supply for marijuana,” Mahoney's lawyer Chris Cronson said. “They weren’t just throwing darts at a dart board.”

Charging all three 17 year olds as adults was the only option because of policy. It was not at the discretion of the prosecution, according to Ari Fisz, chief of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s felony review division.

“If it’s a felony and they’re 17 they’re charged as adults, period,” Fisz said. “If it’s a misdemeanor the default is to charge them as minors.”

At this time, Norris and Mahoney are scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 10 in Lake County Court in Waukegan. But Lynn’s attorney has wasted little time setting legal events in motion.

A lawyer for Lynn has filed a motion to be considered at a hearing at 9 a.m. Friday in Lake County Criminal Court in Waukegan ahead of Lynn’s scheduled arraignment at 9 a.m. Aug. 30. Fisz told Patch the case file did not yet indicate the nature of the motion or name of the lawyer.

See Patch’s review of the complete coverage of these cases for more details.

For news about Deerfield and Highland Park in your mailbox every day, subscribe to the Patch newsletter. For more news and updates, like Highland Park and Deerfield Patch on Facebook.