CeaseFire: Man arrested on drug charges doesn’t work for us
BY HUNTER CLAUSS Staff Reporter hclauss@suntimes.com July 7, 2012 8:38PM
Theotis Holcomb, 22, was charged with possession of crack cocaine after a traffic violation on Friday.
Updated: July 8, 2012 12:26AM
Police said a man charged with felony possession of crack cocaine claimed he was an employee of CeaseFire, but an official with the anti-violence group said the man was never on the organization’s payroll.
Theotis Holcomb, 22, was driving in the 100 block of West 109th Street when police pulled him over for a not stopping at a stop sign on Friday, police said.
During a search, officers found 10 grams of crack cocaine and 2 grams of cannabis, police said.
Holcomb, of the 10700 block of South State, told officers he worked with CeaseFire, which is in line to receive $1 million through the city’s Department of Public Health to target crime in two police districts beginning July 13.
Tio Hardiman, the state director for the group, said Holcomb was not an employee or volunteer. “I wish the police would check their facts before going to the press,” Hardiman said.
Hardiman said Holcomb was once enrolled in a summer program for troubled youth that was organized by CeaseFire Roseland, which is an independent subcontractor for CeaseFire.
Bob Jackson, the head of CeaseFire Roseland, said Holcomb helped mow lawns for senior citizens and cleaned up vacant lots, but he never worked as an employee for the group.
“The most Theo did was show up at a barbeque, set up a tent and pass out fliers,” Jackson said.
In addition to felony possession of crack cocaine, Holcomb was charged with misdemeanor possession of cannabis, failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to carry or produce a driver’s license.
