Bullpen Sports Bar Owner Jerry Borrego, In Trouble With The Law Again, Hires Tomczak Law Group As Defense

SHOREWOOD, IL — For the second time in 15 years, the owner of a Shorewood alcohol establishment, Jerry Borrego, finds himself facing criminal charges lodged against him by the Shorewood Police Department and the Will County State's Attorney's Office. The 71-year-old business owner was hauled out of his own tavern in handcuffs by the overnight shift on Shorewood's police force shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 11.

Will County's prosecutors have now made it clear they are moving forward in hopes of obtaining multiple criminal convictions to add to Borrego's prior criminal record he already has.

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His new charges consist of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest/obstructing justice.

The location of the offenses was at 716 Cottage Street, home of the Bullpen Sports Bar, the court records show.

Last week, Borrego's private defense counsel, the Tomczak Law Group, filed an appearance at the Will County Courthouse on his behalf and asked for a substitution of judges.

"The defendant further represents that his petition has been filed within 10 days after the matter was placed on the trial call of the honorable judge Collette Safford before whom this cause is pending because the said judge is prejudiced against him. Wherefore, petitioner respectfully prays that this honorable court allow a substitution of judges and enter an order placing this cause on the trial call other than the honorable judge Collette Safford," the motion from The Tomczak Law Group reads. Tomczak Law Group consists of Jeff Tomczak, Anna Rose Bertani, Patricia Kalkanis and CJ Haney.

Borrego Spent Time In Will County's Jail In 2011

It was 15 years ago when Shorewood police previously arrested Borrego. He was found guilty of two crimes of battery and originally sentenced to 180 days in Will County's Jail with credit for seven days of time already served, court files show.

That time, Borrego turned to the law offices of attorney Chuck Bretz as his defense counsel. According to his August 2011 motion to reconsider the sentence, Bretz argued his client was 56 years old and had no prior criminal background. "The defendant has health concerns" and "the defendant has no one to properly run his business while serving a jail sentence," Bretz argued in his motion.

The Will County court file for Borrego's 2011 criminal case contains about a dozen letters of reference and good character that were submitted to the judge for review.

Back in 2011, Waynette Holmes submitted a two-page letter "to tell you about my boss and the kind of man he is."

Her letter went on to explain "that the person who Jerry fought with had been harassing me for months on Facebook, sending me dirty messages talking about his sexual wants for me, harassing me by coming into Jerry's place of business and writing dirty messages to me and leaving them with Jerry to deliver to me. A man that offered me drugs only minutes before this incident occurred. A man with a criminal record a mile long ... Jerry Borrego is a good upstanding man that has never allowed for women to be degraded or harassed in his place of business. He runs a business where a woman can go and socialize while feeling safe in their surroundings whether she is working or spending an evening out relaxing. A place of business where drugs and funny business is not welcomed ... I am begging of you to please reconsider putting Jerry in jail. I don't know what I would do without him, but more importantly, I don't know what my family would do without him ... It is not something any of us have dealt with before and I would not want to change the image that my children have of Jerry. In their eyes, he is the world. Not a man who goes to jail. Please take this into consideration."

In her letter to the 2011 sentencing judge, Rebecca Zackavec wrote, "When I met Jerry in October of 2010, he explained that the Bullpen was a clean, fun, safe place to have an alcoholic beverage and meet friends for an evening out. He boasted that a woman could feel comfortable sitting alone at the bar for a drink and no man would harass her. Jerry further promised me that I would never have to worry about drugs or violence in the bar because long ago he set high expectations for his patrons, which resulted in this now comfortable and safe environment for the Bullpen community ... Jerry Borrego provides a place for this community to grow and demonstrates a commitment to his patrons and employees to furnish a comfortable, protected, enjoyable environment for adults to gather for a variety of purposes. Without this place to congregate, a vital piece of the Shorewood community will be weakened."

Rhonda Frahm's letter to Judge Livas from 2011 stated, "I write this letter to you in regard to Jerry Borrego. I have known Jerry for over 15 years and in that time I have always looked up to Jerry as a father figure and a good friend. He is a husband, father and grandfather and an individual who will always try to help you if you are in need, which is something that I have personally experienced ... With respect to the incident in which Jerry was involved at the Bullpen Sports Bar, I can say that I know Jerry is aware of his error in judgment and is very remorseful for his actions. The person I know Jerry to be is not the individual who the court believes him to be, and I respectfully ask that you reconsider the court's judgment against Jerry in this case."

By November 2011, the judge changed the terms of the sentence for Borrego to 70 days in the Will County Jail; Borrego was given credit for 64 days actually served and no day for day good time.

Borrego's Latest Arrest October 11, 2026

The Shorewood Police Department indicated that the overnight shift officers were dispatched to the Bullpen Sports Bar for gun complaints. Officers saw a group of people standing near the entrance of the Bullpen, and the bar patrons indicated that the bar owner, Borrego, had a gun.

Officers ordered Borrego to put his hands on top of his head; he declined, the agency noted. Officers then tried to place his arms behind his back, but Borrego became stiff and rigid. Borrego continued to not listen to commands as the officers detained him and placed handcuffs on his wrist, according to the arrest report.

Officers said they saw the black Springfield Hellcat inside Borrego's right pocket. Following the booking and processing at the Shorewood Police Station, Borrego was later released with court information, the agency pointed out.