Shooting Defendant Jesus Zambrano Arrested By Joliet Police Again

JOLIET, IL — Jesus Zambrano, who Joliet police detectives say shot a 31-year-old city resident on the night of May 7, was arrested again Monday night during a traffic stop on the city's east side.

Six months ago, Zambrano's bail was initially set at $500,000 by Will County Judge Fred Harvey in connection with charges of aggravated battery involving the discharge of a gun. Then, in late July, Will County Judge Carmen Goodman decided to lower Zambrano's bail to $100,000, over the objections of the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow, court records show. Zambrano's sister posted the necessary 10 percent, to regain her brother's freedom, on July 30.

Zambrano had been in the Will County Jail from June 16 until July 30.

On Monday night, Zambrano was taken into custody following a traffic stop in the 400 block of Landau Avenue, on the city's east side.

"Upon search of Zambrano, officers recovered suspected cocaine from his shoe," police spokesman Dwayne English indicated.

In addition to his pending May 7 charge of aggravated battery involving a gun, Joliet police have now charged Zambrano with harassment of a witness, aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance.

Back on the afternoon of Oct. 30, Joliet police were summoned to the area of Western Avenue and Raynor Avenue for a disturbance.

"Officers determined that a male adult who had been a victim in a previous case in which Zambrano was arrested had been followed by Zambrano while in a vehicle," Joliet police announced Tuesday. "Further investigation revealed that Zambrano exited his vehicle while at a stop sign and attempted to gain access to the victim’s vehicle in an attempt to get to the victim."

Six months ago, Joliet Patch reported that a 31-year-old Joliet man remained hospitalized in critical condition after being shot around 8 p.m. on May 7. Joliet officers found the shooting victim in the 1000 block of Raynor Avenue with a gunshot wound to his groin.

On Nov. 11, Joliet police detectives obtained a new arrest warrant for Zambrano, who lives in the 1000 block of North Raynor Avenue, and traffic patrol officers made the arrest Monday night.

Zambrano's new bail has been set at $1 million, jail logs show.

Back in 2013, a Will County jury found Zambrano guilty of murder, and he drew a 45-year prison term at the time. Then in 2016, the Illinois Court of Appeals overturned Zambrano's conviction and remanded his murder case back to Will County Circuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak for a retrial.

In August 2019, a different Will County jury found Jesus Zambrano not guilty of first-degree murder in the May 22, 2009, west side shooting death of Robert Gooch, 36. The Joliet homicide victim was shot in the head inside a third-floor apartment at the Larkin Village apartment complex during an apparent lover's triangle.