Checks Bounce In House Rental Deal: Cops

OAK LAWN, IL — An Evergreen Park man is accused of defrauding an Oak Lawn homeowner when checks he wrote to rent the house bounced. Joel Cadenas, 40, appeared before Cook County Judge John Mahoney on a charge of deceptive practice.

Cadenas reportedly closed on a house Aug. 8 in the 9300 block of South 55th Avenue in Oak Lawn. According to the charges, Cadenas went to the homeowner a few days later and told him he had nowhere to live. The homeowner agreed to let Cadenas live there until the closing. Cadenas is said to have signed an agreement with the homeowner to sell his house, providing two checks for $3,000 and $2,000.

On Aug. 22, the prosecutor said Cadenas’ check for $2,000 came back on a closed account. Cadenas wrote another check to the homeowner, but the check was returned again on a closed account, the prosecutor said. An Oak Lawn police detective met with Cadenas, the prosecutor said, who told the detective he had an attorney. The detective said Candenas could provide the attorney’s name or contact information.

The homeowner never received any money from Cadanes, who was arrested in his new home in Evergreen Park, the prosecutor said.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Cadenas stopped payment on the checks because the homeowner would not provide paperwork so Cadenas could register his kids for school.

Cadanes was released on a $10,000 I-bond. His next court appearance is Dec. 18 in Bridgeview. Cadanes’ last known address is the 8700 block of South Kolmar Avenue in Hometown.