Armed With Gun At Park Motel, He Demanded Cash Until Unemployment Benefits Began: Morris Police

MORRIS, IL — A 46-year-old man from Chicago, Fernando Cortes, is now in the Grundy County Jail in downtown Morris facing charges of armed violence, intimidation and aggravated assault following an overnight incident at the Park Motel along the busy Route 47 corridor in Morris.

According to the Morris Police announcement on Facebook, at 3:42 a.m. on Friday, overnight shift officers were contacted by a victim who reported being confronted by a former co-worker at the Park Motel, at 1923 N. Division Street.

The victim reported that Cortes approached him while he was seated inside his vehicle, displayed a handgun, pointed the gun at him, and demanded he provide Cortes with $200 per week until Cortes received unemployment benefits, according to Morris police.

The victim reported the incident to Morris Police approximately 10 minutes later.

Officers responded to the Park Motel and located Cortes inside a motel room. Cortes was taken into custody without further incident. A handgun was not located in his possession at the time of his arrest. Cortes was taken to the Morris Police Department and later to the Grundy County Jail.

Detectives later obtained a search warrant for Cortes’s motel room and they said they found two handguns and ammunition. The case was forwarded to the State's Attorney's for additional charges including unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.