DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett and DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba announced today that charges have been filed against Charles R. Anthony, 23 (d.o.b. 6/04/80) of 4106 Ritz Drive in Marengo in connection with the Friday, January 2nd violent attack of a detective within the DuPage County Jail in Wheaton.  Anthony was charged this afternoon with one (1) count of Attempt Murder of a Police Officer, one (1) count of Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer and one (1) count of Attempt Escape.  He remains in custody of the DuPage County Jail on a $1 million bond approved by Judge Kenneth Moy.

On January 2nd, Marengo Police Detective Joseph Sangirardi went to the DuPage County Jail in Wheaton to interview inmate Charles Anthony.  Anthony had been arrested by Bensenville Police in a stolen vehicle and was transported to the DuPage County Jail in Wheaton on December 30th.  The vehicle Anthony had been in at the time of his arrest was later identified as a vehicle that had been stolen from Marengo.  This resulted in Detective Sangirardi coming to the DuPage County Jail to question him.  It is alleged that at approximately 4:30 p.m. on January 2nd during the interview between Detective Sangirardi and Anthony, the defendant physically attacked the detective.  When DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputies entered the interview room, which is located in the Booking area of the jail, they immediately subdued Anthony and removed him from the room.  Detective Sangirardi was then transported by the Wheaton Fire Department to Central DuPage Hospital where he remained for several days in the Intensive Care Unit but has since been released.  Anthony was treated by the medical staff of the jail for a minor injury and then returned to a cell.

An investigation into the alleged incident was conducted by the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of prosecutors of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.  This afternoon, State’s Attorney Birkett approved charges against Anthony of Attempt Murder of a Police Officer, Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer and Attempt Escape.   The defendant is expected to appear in bond court at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning. 

“We believe this incident was an aberration as evidenced by the fact that there has never been an occurrence such as this in the entire history of the DuPage County Correctional Facility,” commented DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba.  “However, there is always room for improvement, regardless of current policies and procedures.  Therefore, we have taken steps to enhance our current procedures related to inmate interviews.”

State’s Attorney Birkett praised the efforts of Sheriff John Zaruba and his staff for their immediate response to this incident and the professionalism of the subsequent investigation.  In addition, he thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Knight for his assistance with this case.

“The attack against Detective Sangirardi was an extremely brutal one, resulting in serious, life-threatening head injuries,” State’s Attorney Birkett declared.  “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every hour of every day that they are on duty.  We want them to rest assured that they are backed up not only by their fellow officers on the streets but by prosecutors who will ensure that if they are victimized, justice will be sought for them as well. While most of us were winding up the holiday season, this officer was working and protecting us.  His family ended the holiday weekend in prayer that their loved one would live.”    

If found guilty, the penalties for Attempt Murder of a Police Officer are 20 to 80 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections; penalties for Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer are 3 to 7 years in prison and penalties for Attempt Escape are 2 to 5 years in prison.

“If found guilty of the underlying charges of Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, all sentences imposed in connection with the attack on Detective Sangirardi will be served consecutively,” State’s Attorney Birkett commented.  “Instead of facing probation, this defendant is now looking at the possibility of decades behind bars.”

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.