2 Charged after Police Foot Chase

A 38-year-old Mokena woman is facing charges of contributing to criminal delinquency of a minor after police found several underage individuals drinking outside her home June 14.

Police say Shannon Lassiter, 38, provided the alcohol consumed by underaged individuals outside her apartment in the 1000 block of Green Meadows Drive. Lassiter says she was not at home at the time of the gathering. She told officers she did not knowingly provide the alcohol.

Officers went to Lassiter's home to retrieve a minor tied to a previous felony aggravated battery. Upon arrival, officers noticed several males standing near the residence drinking. Officers noted that from past incidents none of the subjects were of legal drinking age. As the police approached, four of the subjects jumped the fence and ran into Lassiter's apartment, while two others fled around the building.

An officer pursued one of the fleeing suspects, 20-year-old Ryan J. Walsh, of the 100 block of South Maple Street in Frankfort. The officer tackled Walsh to the ground before arresting him for resisting/obstructing a peace officer and underage consumption of alcohol. A second suspect who ran from the building was able to elude police.

While booking Walsh, Mokena Police received a phone call from Lassiter, prompting officers to return to her home to discuss the incident with Walsh and the rest of the group outside her home. At her apartment, officers questioned Lassiter on how the individuals got the alcohol. Lassiter said she didn't know, police said.

Officers then took Lassiter into custody and charged her with contributing to the criminal delinquency of a minor, alcohol. She is scheduled to appear in court on July 9, after being released on a $750 I-bond.

The person police originally sought at Lassiter's home was not present.

Walsh was released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond, pending a July 18 court date.

Police report information is provided by . Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.