Sheriff releases footage of Cook County Jail detainee takeover

Sheriff’s police released footage Friday of two Cook County Jail detainees taking over a housing tier while holding another inmate hostage Thursday evening.

The men, identified as Martin Alvarado and Cordarryl Stevenson, took control about 4:30 p.m. in maximum-security Division 10 of the jail at 26th Street and California, according to Cook County sheriff’s office spokeswoman Cara Smith.

They covered the floor of the tier with soapy water and feces, ripped down security cameras and then threatened to harm another detainee with a sharp object, Smith said.

The 18-man tier was put on lockdown until correctional officers were able to regain control by 7:30 p.m., Smith said. The detainee who was taken hostage suffered a minor leg injury and was taken to a hospital. No officers were hurt.

Footage released by the sheriff’s office Friday shows a detainee holding a blade up another detainee’s neck. Another clip shows the sheriff’s emergency response team storming the tier.

Alvarado, 24, has been held at the jail since April 2015 after being charged with beating his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son to death in west suburban Cicero, court records show. Stevenson, 27, has been detained since September 2014 for armed robbery and vehicular hijacking charges out of north suburban Skokie. Both men have also racked up additional battery charges while in custody for punching correctional officers or other inmates, sheriff’s police said.

They are expected to face more charges for the takeover.