Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart has released the identities of the individuals in custody who took control of a jail housing tier and injured another individual in custody. The office has also released video clips depicting the incident.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. on Thursday members of the jail’s Emergency Response Team entered the tier, took custody of 24-year-old Martin Alvarado and 27-year-old Cordarryl Stevenson. The injured individual in custody was transported to an area hospital for treatment of what appeared to be minor injuries. A weapon was recovered.
There were no injuries to staff or to the other 15 individuals in custody housed on the tier.
According to the Sheriff’s Office investigation, at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Division 10 individuals in custody Alvarado and Stevenson took control of their housing tier, covering the floor with soapy water. They obscured the fixed cameras on the tier before tearing them down completely.
A criminal investigation is ongoing and additional criminal charges are expected against both individuals in custody.
Alvarado has been in Cook County Jail custody since April 2015 on a murder charge stemming from Cicero Police Department arrest. Stevenson has been in custody since September 2014 on charges of armed robbery and aggravated vehicular hijacking, stemming from a Skokie Police Department arrest.
In June, Alvarado was charged with battery against another individual in custody. Stevenson was charged in October 2014 and July 2015 with aggravated battery to a peace officer. In each incident, Stevenson punched a correctional deputy. In May 2016 he was charged with disarming a peace officer.
Sheriff Dart applauds the exceptional expertise and professionalism of his staff and reminds the public that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.