2 suspects published in Lake County after they were charged with theft of 700,000 US dollars from the port of Village of Winthrop

Two out of three suspects were delivered to Lake County and released after a one-year examination, in which it was claimed that they had stolen $ 700,000 from the village of Winthrop Harbor.

Phillip Sanders and Vanessa Yarbrough, both 30 and from Memphis, Tennessee, were released from Lake County's prison on Thursday and during a court hearing in front of the judge of Lake County judge Michael Nerheim were set up on the surveillance of preliminary proceedings in level 3.

Nerheim told the duo that they should not have contact with the property of the Wintrop Harbor's village, which means that they could drive Harbor through Winthrop, but are not allowed to hold on a village.

A third nationwide arrest warrant remains active for Patrick Dickens (32) from Las Vegas, Nevada.

The three are charged with theft of over 500,000 US dollars that continues a company for financial crimes, the embezzlement of property in the financial institution, money laundering and computer fraud for the alleged theft of Winthrop Harbor. Sanders and Yarbrough are also charged with a transaction.

All charges are crimes and every suspect is charged with up to 30 years in prison.

The Wintrop Harbor's police department, the public prosecutor's office of the Lake County district, the investigations (Homeland Security Investigations) and several law enforcement authorities carried out an “extensive” investigation of financial crimes that led to dozens of charges for the trio.

The Winthrop Harbor police began to examine in February 2024 after village officers had not reported authorized transactions with the bank account of the Winthrop Harbor's village to the police authority.

The police authority alerted the financial crimes and the Department of Public Integrity of the Prosecutor of the Lake County district.

The fraudulent transactions from October 2022 to October 2023 were around 700,000 US dollars, the prosecutors said.

The public prosecutor said that the bank's fraud department had reclaimed and returned a significant amount of the funds to the village.

Lake County Criminal Intelligence Analysts and Financial Analysts from HSI supported detectives in the persecution of transactions, the determination transmissions, the identification of bank accounts in connection with the fraudulent activities and identified several suspects that live outside of Illinois.

Winthrop Harbor Detectives and the Memphis police carried out on 27 February at several locations in Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee, searching warrants.

The arrest warrants led to the arrests of Sanders and Yarbrough and to confiscate evidence. Dickens was arrested on the same day in Nashville, Tennessee.

Additional fees are pending for other suspects, while the examination continues.

Wintrop Harbor's police chief, Anthony Velardi, said the investigation had taken about a year, “countless hours dedicated to it”.

“In such cases, in which a low solvability factor and in which suspects are rarely identified, WHPD detectives were able to charge several criminals with numerous crimes. This is proof of your investigative skills and your commitment to your profession, ”said Velardi.

“This case would not have achieved the same result I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude for the support that we have received to bring this case into a successful conclusion, ”said Velardi.

Eric Rinehart, Prosecutor of the State Lake County, said the Wintrop Harbor police carried out a “first -class exam” and worked with his office so that they could hold the perpetrators in Illinois.

“Our new department for financial crimes and public integrity and our law enforcement partners have to ensure that we protect residents and taxpayers from Lake County from such calculated and harmful crimes. But we still have to invest in our security infrastructure and I would like to thank the Lake County Board for the financing of this unit in 2023, ”said Rinehart.

On March 27, Yarbrough is due to court for the status of hearing hearing hearings in court on March 27.