Prosecutors drop charges against 2 Chicago police officers accused of beating teen

Charges were dropped Wednesday against two Chicago police officers accused of beating a teenager just as their trial was about to begin.

Officers Jeffery Shafer and Victor Guebara were set to appear before Judge Angela Petrone for a bench trial, but prosecutors instead announced they were dismissing all charges because the alleged victim, now in his 20s, was no longer cooperating.

As a result, the state’s attorney’s office said it would “not be able to meet its burden of proof.”

The officers were indicted in September 2021 on charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct following an investigation by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the police department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs into the officers’ arrest of a 17-year-old boy.

Shafer, 38, and Guebara, 42, were on patrol Jan. 10 that year when they spotted the teen driving a white Chevrolet Camaro that had been reported stolen and chased it, prosecutors have said.

After the teen crashed and was taken into custody, Guebara was accused of punching the boy in the face while he was lying face-down with one hand behind his back. Shafer allegedly straddled the boy, punched him repeatedly and shoved him into a fence.

Neither officer activated their body-worn cameras during the arrest, but prosecutors said their actions were recorded by a police surveillance camera and an assisting officer’s body camera.

“These guys have been waiting for three years with their lives on hold,” defense attorney Tim Grace, who represented Shafer, said after the charges were dropped. “It appears this guy has not been cooperating for some time.”

Both officers were relieved of their police powers shortly after the incident.

Grace said both officers are still waiting for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability to conclude its investigation and make a recommendation to the police department.