Jealous Boyfriend Chokes Girlfriend After Seeing Facebook Post From Another Man: COPS

ORLAND PARK, IL -- An Orland Park man was arrested when he choked his live-in girlfriend after he saw a post on her Facebook page from another man, prosecutors said. Justin Schabes, 35, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a charge of aggravated domestic battery. He turned himself into Orland Park police on Oct. 10 after his girlfriend filed a police report.

Schabes and the woman had been dating for about a year. She moved into his house in the 17200 block of LaGrange Road along with her 9-year-old daughter in December 2016. The prosecutor said Schabes became enraged when he saw a Facebook post from another man on his girlfriend’s Facebook page. He allegedly straddled the woman and pinned her arms so she couldn’t move, then grabbed her throat and began squeezing her neck. With his other hand, he forced her to look at the social media post and say she didn’t love the man, according to the allegations.

A few days later, Schabes allegedly confronted his girlfriend and her daughter at the library. According to the charges, he forced her to ride with him to a Joliet casino. There, Schabes gambled until he was asked to leave because he was intoxicated. On the way back to Orland Park, Schabes verbally abused the woman, the prosecutor said. She managed to get away from him and file a police report.

Schabes was arrested on domestic battery charges on July 23 and Aug. 22, where he is alleged to have pulled her hair, spit in her face, slapped her and banged her head against a closet door. He was also charged for interfering with a police report by not letting her call police, according to court records.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Schabes is a semi-pro hockey player and owns the home where he and his girlfriend live.

“He’s had little contact with the police,” the assistant public defender said.

“He’s been arrested twice this year,” Felice said.

The prosecutor requested special conditions of bond that Schabes avoid all contact with the woman. Schabes was also ordered to turn in any dangerous weapons to Orland Park police, and to surrender his FOID card and conceal-carry permit, if applicable. There was also discussion of him returning to his house.

“He’s not going back to that house until she’s out of there,” Felice said, setting bail at $10,000. “I’m sure she has a lot of personal belongings there and her daughter’s belongings, as well as her clothes.”

The assistant public defender said Schabes would be able to stay with his father. Schabes is due back in court Nov. 7 in Bridgeview.

“I think you’re a pretty tough guy, especially with a woman,” Felice said, “but you’re not going to get tough with me.”