Eviction Fight At La Grange Home With Alleged Prostitution, Drugs

LA GRANGE, IL — The new owner of a La Grange house that police raided last fall is struggling to evict "unknown occupants."

The house at 812 S. Catherine Ave. has been the site of numerous police calls, frustrating neighbors.

In late October, authorities arrested seven people in the house, alleging drug parties and prostitution.

The home's previous owner, Paul Nutting, who was among those arrested, no longer has possession because of a foreclosure.

During a Cook County Circuit Court hearing Thursday, attorney Nicholas Frenzel represented S&J Kolar, a limited liability company that owns the house. The lawyer sought an emergency order to evict the remaining people from the house, referring to them as "unknown occupants." They were served notice of Thursday's hearing two days earlier.

Frenzel said the people were engaged in criminal activity. And he said the village president and a petition signed by dozens of residents have called for evictions.

"There is an immediate threat to the safety of the community," Frenzel said.

James Chesloe, an attorney for Nutting, said all the criminal cases have been thrown out.

He asked the judge to delay a decision because he wanted to call his client to see whether anyone in the house wanted his representation. He said some people are paying rent to Nutting under oral contracts.

Frenzel said Chesloe's client no longer had any standing and that Chesloe could file a motion later. He noted that Chesloe indicated his client was receiving rent when Nutting had no legal possession of the property.

The judge called a recess to let Chesloe contact people in the house to see whether they wanted to be represented.

Afterward, Chesloe named a man he would represent.

The judge, who was substituting for a colleague, said he was sensitive to the issues at hand, but that he needed to follow the law. He said he found the summons for the unknown occupants was defective.

The next hearing is Feb. 10.