Bob Hernandez Pleads Guilty To Cocaine, Stalking, Learns His Sentence

JOLIET ? Nearly an entire year after Bob Hernandez was wheeled in and out of the Will County Courthouse and released from the Will County Jail because of a variety of medical ailments, Bob Hernandez arrived at the courthouse without a wheelchair and without the use of a cane.

Before his late morning court case was called on Monday, Hernandez was admonished by the bailiff of Will County Judge John Connor for wearing a Cubs cap into the courtroom and also for using his cell phone while sitting in the gallery. Wearing hats and using a cell phone are prohibited actions in Will County's courtrooms for people seated in the gallery.

Eventually, Hernandez's criminal cases were called by Judge Connor and Hernandez was walked to the podium, accompanied by his criminal defense attorney Jeff Tomczak.

Prosecutor Erin Krone informed the judge that a plea agreement was reached: Hernandez agreed to plead guilty to one felony crime of possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine, stemming from his January 2024 arrest by the Joliet police force.

Hernandez's subsequent arrest by the Joliet police on Feb. 14, 2024, resulted in a second crack cocaine charge for Hernandez, but that charge was being dismissed under Monday's plea bargain.

In addition to that, Hernandez pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor crime, violation of a stalking order, because of his continued efforts to drive past the home of Valerie Terlep even though the mother had obtained an order of protection to keep Hernandez away from her teenage children.

Hernandez was served with that protection order after his first arrest by Joliet police in January 2024, yet he chose to violate that order anyway, the prosecutor informed Judge Connor at Monday's sentencing.

In all, Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months of probation by the judge and ordered to perform 30 hours of community service. He must undergo further substance evaluations and drug testing. He was given fines and court costs totaling $2,670 for the felony drug conviction.

Hernandez was also notified he must stay away from Valerie Terlep and her teenage children as well as their house on Joliet's west side.

Hernandez's court supervision for the stalking crime was ordered to run at the same time as the crack cocaine sentence. Hernandez also received another $653 in fines and court costs for the stalking conviction.

The judge asked if the victims of Hernandez's stalking crimes were in court Monday. The prosecutor informed Judge Connor they were not able to attend. While the victims were not ecstatic about Monday's plea agreement, the prosecutor told the judge, "she is aware that this is a realistic outcome."

Before accepting Hernandez's guilty pleas, the judge asked him a series of questions to make sure he could read and write and understand the English language. Hernandez told the judge he was 63 years old and went through 12th grade in school. He told the judge he was currently taking seven different prescriptions, and he had not consumed any illicit drugs or alcohol prior to showing up for Monday morning's plea bargain and sentencing.

The judge also noted Hernandez has a prior conviction for the crime of assault from 1995.

The prosecutor then reminded the judge of the summary of events resulting in Hernandez's two separate arrests by Joliet police in January and February 2024.

After the prosecutor finished reciting the facts of his crimes, Hernandez was given an opportunity by the judge to make a statement to the courtroom, but he chose not to do so.

One of the judge's last questions asked of Hernandez, before accepting the guilty pleas, was whether Hernandez was satisfied with the legal representation of his private criminal defense counsel, Jeff Tomczak.

"Yes," Hernandez answered the judge.

Joliet City Counci write-in candidate at large Jim Lanham attended Monday's proceedings as a friend and advocate for the victim's family. Valerie Terlep released a statement to the press following Monday's sentencing for Hernandez.

"The family would like to thank the Joliet Police Department, the Will County State's Attorney's Office, the victim's advocates office led by Nicole Pasteris and especially the Will County Children's Advocacy Center. The family is glad the defendant's action have been brought into the public eye and hope and pray there will be no more victims of such behavior now that he is a convict."

Here's a recap of some of Joliet Patch's coverage from 2024 in regard to Hernandez's arrests and the civil forfeiture cases involving two different vehicles that Bob Hernandez had at the time of his arrests:

Bob Hernandez Wins Court Ruling To Go On Long Walks

August 30, 2024: After winning his pretrial release from the Will County Jail in mid-March because of serious health concerns, felony defendant Bob Hernandez no longer needs a wheelchair to get to his criminal court hearings. You might see the familiar Joliet resident going on four-mile walks along the city's busiest streets like Ruby, Jefferson and downtown's Chicago Street.

Will County Judge John Connor, over the objections raised by a prosecutor at the Will County State's Attorney's Office, ruled in favor of Hernandez and his criminal defense lawyer. Attorney Jeff Tomczak had asked Judge Connor to modify the conditions for Bob Hernandez's pretrial release.

Prosecutor Kaitlyn Leone reminded the judge that Hernandez was previously released from the jail because he was wheel-chair bound, after apparently suffering strokes or stroke-like symptoms while housed in the Will County Jail.

Bob Hernandez Wins Release From Will County's Jail, Judge Connor Rules

March 14, 2024: On the one-month anniversary of his detention at the Will County Jail, Bob Hernandez was wheeled out of Will County Courthouse Room 403 after learning that his days of being incarcerated at the detention facility are coming to an end.

Judge John Connor ruled in favor of his defense lawyer, Jeff Tomczak. As a result of Hernandez's current medical situation, the Will County Jail is no longer the best place for the Joliet felony defendant; he will return to his father's house in the 800 block of Westminster Road where he will remain under home confinement and strict GPS monitoring, Judge Connor ruled.

Bob Hernandez In Court: Jeff Tomczak Wants Client Freed From Jail

March 6, 2024: One of Joliet's most prolific criminal defense lawyers, Jeff Tomczak, stepped up to the podium as several Will County Sheriff's deputies opened doors and pushed Bob Hernandez into Courtroom 405 in his new wheelchair for the court proceedings.

Tomczak announced that he was entering not-guilty pleas for all of his client's criminal charges. Hernandez is charged with violating a stalking no-contact order, two different criminal cases involving possession of crack cocaine, and one count of possessing a crack pipe.

In February 2024, Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins ordered that Hernandez needed to be detained for an indefinite period of time in the Will County Jail pursuant to the SAFE-T-Act because releasing Hernandez would be a danger to the community of Joliet's citizens.

Bob Hernandez Arrested Again By Joliet Police, Now He's In Jail

Feb. 14, 2024: For the second time in less than three weeks, Joliet's Robert Gregory "Bob" Hernandez was taken away in handcuffs by Joliet police and Hernandez was spending his Valentine's Day inside his new cell at Will County's Jail.

Joliet Patch discovered that whatever medical ordeal Hernandez claimed he had that required his admittance at the Ascension St. Joe's hospital was nothing of serious consequence. At 10:31 p.m., Hernandez was booked into the Will County Jail.

Joliet police announced that Hernandez was arrested by their officers and processed for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of an order of protection. Hernandez comes from the 800 block of Westminster Road, which is right off Black Road.