Joliet Township supervisor pleads guilty in aggravated DUI case

The Joliet Township supervisor has pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence and aggravated driving with a revoked license, prosecutors said.

On Friday, Angel Contreras, 38, of Joliet was sentenced to two years of probation after he pleaded guilty to both felony charges, Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Byrne said. He also was sentenced to 480 hours of community service.

Contreras was indicted on both charges after his arrest during a traffic stop June 19, 2022, on Western Avenue in Joliet.

The aggravated DUI and aggravated driving with a revoked license offenses will mark his third violation, according to the indictment.

Calls to Contreras were not returned Friday.

Contreras’ guilty plea puts the Joliet Township government in a situation once again where an elected official has a felony conviction that would prohibit them from holding office.

Last year, former Joliet Township Trustee Karl Ferrell left the board when a Will County judge and an Illinois appellate court ruled that he was not qualified to serve on the township board because of his past felony convictions.

A special meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday for the formal resignation of Contreras, township attorney Bryan Wellner said.

The township trustees will consider appointing Joliet Township Clerk Alicia Morales to serve as supervisor for the remainder of Contreras’ unexpired term, Wellner said.

Contreras was first elected to the Joliet Township board in 2021.

He led a slate of candidates who won township office as well. Those candidates included Morales, Ferrell, Cesar Escutia and Raymond Slattery. Escutia and Slattery still serve as trustees on the board.

Former Joliet Township Trustee Suzanna Ibarra also was part of the slate. She left the board after she was elected to the Joliet City Council last year.

Since Contreras’ election to the township board, there’s been a significant emphasis on providing more services to the community. He said the number of employees has more than doubled as a result.

The township recently acquired the Ozzie and Peggy Mitchell Center for a violence prevention program and the Forest Park Community Center for behavioral health and transportation services.

Last year, the township faced public backlash for pursuing an $8.6 million grant to provide services for asylum-seekers. After that backlash, the township rescinded its application for the grant funding.