Three charged after cops bust unlicensed armed security firm

The owner and two employees of an unlicensed company that authorities claim provided armed security to liquor stores on the South and West sides, and in south suburban Harvey, have been arrested.

Investigators learned last month that Harvey Jones, 48, was making agreements to provide armed security to liquor stores in Chicago and other parts of Cook County, according to a statement from the Cook County sheriff’s office. He was not licensed by the state to run a security firm.

Members of the sheriff’s police and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation visited six stores where Jones’ employees were believed to work on March 12, the sheriff’s office said. They arrested two Chicago men who had FOID cards but were not certified to be armed security guards.

Anthony Holloway, 42, was arrested at a liquor store in the 0-100 block of East 159th Street in Harvey. Tracy Fraley, also 42, was arrested at a liquor store in the 3900 block of West Arthington. They were each charged with unlawful use of a weapon.

A third man found working security at a store in the 800 block of West 115th Street was armed with a cap gun and was not charged, according to the sheriff’s office.

Jones, of Blue Island, turned himself in on March 19 and was charged with a misdemeanor count of operating a security company without a license, the sheriff’s office said.

Tracy Fraley | Cook County sheriff’s office

Anthony Holloway | Cook County sheriff’s office