Nearly 1 in 12 Criminal Defendants On Ankle Monitors In Chicago Have Gone AWOL, Authorities Say

Nearly 300 Chicago Defendants Released On Ankle Monitors Are Missing

Hundreds of criminal defendants released on pre-trial with ankle monitors in Chicago are actively being searched for by law enforcement after they failed to wear their monitoring devices.

Data from the Circuit Clerk of Cook County shows that 246 out of 3,048 defendants released pre-trial and placed on ankle monitoring are missing and aren't actively wearing their ankle monitor.

That represents nearly one in 12 defendants who were supposed to be electronically monitored while awaiting trial.

Violent Crimes While On Monitor

Several individuals released pre-trial have gone on to allegedly commit violent crimes while wearing ankle monitors. Officials say the ankle monitor program includes hundreds of defendants accused of serious offenses.

The program includes:

• 13 individuals charged with attempted murder
• 103 individuals charged with sexual assault
• 21 individuals charged with murder
• 173 individuals charged with aggravated battery

Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach told WGN that law enforcement is trying to track down the individuals who are missing.

It does not mean they are out committing crimes necessarily. Some might. But they are actively being searched for right now by law enforcement.

Notable Cases

Alphanso Talley is one defendant whose case drew national attention. He is accused of murdering Chicago Police Department Officer John Bartholomew.

Talley was charged with murder after allegedly shooting two police officers. He records indicated that Talley first got an electronic monitor on Dec. 11, 2025, but his monitor alerted two violations within three days in early March.

John Bartholomew was shot and killed at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital.

Another case involves Lawrence Reed, 50, who allegedly lit a woman on fire while on the city blue line train. Reed was yelling burn b---- during the attack.

Reed is charged with committing a terrorist attack or violence against a mass transportation system, according to officials. Reed has been arrested at least 13 times by the Chicago Police Department since 2017.

Marlon Miller was arrested in December 2025 after he allegedly attacked three women in the downtown area. He was charged with three felony counts of aggravated battery in a public place, according to Fox 32 Chicago.

At the time of the alleged attacks, Miller was wearing an ankle monitor.

Systemic Concerns

Sherri Bester, one of the women allegedly attacked by Miller, said He yelled ---- and then he swung and hit me in my left eye.

He hit me hard enough that even with my glasses on my eye still did swell, Bester said.

Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach defended the current bail system. When monetary bail existed, we had people who posted monetary bail who went out and committed atrocious offenses. It happened. It happened frequently.

We no longer have monetary bail. We have other factors. Those things are still happening, right. That is the nature of a system that is designed with the presumption of innocence, Beach said.

The SAFE-T act along with the state move to cashless bail is not making the county less safe, Beach insisted.

Judge John Lyke, who presided over Talley's previous criminal cases, defended the judge's decisions. Lyke stated that the convicted felons mind is finally developing, and they may be on the path to making better decisions, according to ABC7 News.

Tracking Missing Defendants

Judge Charles Beach said the judges made the best decision with what was in front of them at the time. Unfortunately, you know, we will go back to that concept. How do you predict what another human being is going to do?

Law enforcement agencies are actively searching for the missing defendants across the city. The ankle monitor program is meant to keep defendants within reach of the justice system while awaiting trial.

The 246 missing defendants represent a significant gap in the monitoring system that officials are now trying to address through active searches.

This story breaks down the current situation with ankle monitor compliance in Chicago and the serious crimes that have allegedly occurred while defendants wore these devices.