Judge denies pre-trial release for three Cook County men charged with weapons offenses
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis announced on Mar. 12 that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State's motion to deny pre-trial release for three Cook County men facing weapons charges. Cameron McClellan, Troy Hughes, and Dante Williams appeared in First Appearance Court, each charged with various felonies related to armed violence and unlawful possession of weapons. Additional charges were filed against Hughes by Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser’s office.
The case is significant due to the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies across several counties and the fact that two of the accused are currently on parole for aggravated vehicular hijacking. The coordinated response led to the safe apprehension of all suspects after a high-speed pursuit.
According to authorities, Bellwood police began pursuing a green Jeep suspected in a shooting on March 11. The chase continued onto I-88, where McClellan allegedly drove at speeds up to 115 mph while fleeing from officers. During the pursuit, two firearms were reportedly thrown from the vehicle; Naperville police later recovered a stolen Glock 43X and a loaded Ruger .223 rifle. After exiting I-88, McClellan drove into a residential backyard before being apprehended. Hughes was found in a basement nearby, while Williams was located in a work van.
“It is alleged that these three defendants, two of whom are convicted felons currently on parole and consequently prohibited from legally possessing a firearm, were in possession two firearms as the driver of their vehicle, Mr. McClellan, fled authorities at a high rate of speed in rush hour traffic,” Berlin said. “Thanks to the cooperative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies through three counties, the defendants were safely taken into custody and now face serious felony charges. This type of multi-jurisdictional cooperation is essential to ensure public safety, and we are very grateful for the outstanding relationships we have with our partners in law enforcement throughout the region. I commend the Oak Brook Police Department for their outstanding work that led to the arrest of the defendants in this case and the removal of two illegally possessed weapons from our streets. I thank the Bellwood, Hillside and Aurora Police Departments, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police for their cooperative efforts in the apprehension of these three men. I thank State’s Attorney Mosser and her team for their work in this matter and their continuing efforts in keeping our neighborhoods safe. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Robert Willis and Kelsey Kerr for their efforts in preparing strong cases against the defendants.”
Strockis said: “This incident highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies maintaining practical, common-sense pursuit policies. Criminals like these, and many others, often believe they can commit crimes - even violent ones - with impunity if they simply flee from the police, assuming they will avoid capture. They quickly learned otherwise when they traveled west of I-294 and were spotted by the Oak Brook Police Department. I am extremely proud of the officers involved in this incident and their unwavering commitment to keeping our community safe. I would also like to thank all of the agencies involved for their professionalism and coordination in bringing these offenders to justice and removing illegal firearms from the streets. Finally, I would like to recognize State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his team for their assistance and guidance throughout this case.”
The next court appearance is scheduled for April 6 before Judge Daniel Guerin.
In other news about DuPage County schools: The average student-to-teacher ratio was 13-to-1 during 2022-23 with over 142,000 students enrolled across county schools according to state education data. Teacher absenteeism reached 38.3% during that year compared with Illinois’ average rate as reported by state sources. York Community High School had DuPage's highest enrollment among white students at 1,844 according to state records, while Metea Valley High School had most multiracial students at 162 according to official data. Westmore Elementary School recorded ten Pacific Islander students—the highest among county schools as noted by state reports, while Addison Trail High School had DuPage's largest Hispanic student enrollment at 1,259 according to education statistics.
Authorities remind residents that criminal complaints contain only charges; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.