MORGAN PARK — Bar 118 has been shut down after the Chicago Police Department's Narcotics Unit raided the tavern Friday at 11848 S. Western Ave. in Morgan Park, according to Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th).
Police found a gun on a bar employee, who is a convicted felon, and he was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, O'Shea said in an email to constituents Monday afternoon.
He said that police made four arrests in the raid that began with a search warrant for the property. Besides the weapons charge, three other patrons were charged with drug possession, O'Shea said.
According to police, those charged were:
• Naikia Johnson, 41, of the 12800 block of South Winchester Avenue in suburban Blue Island. Johnson was charged with 11 felonies, including being a felon in possession of a weapon for the second time as well as delivering marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine.
• Tyesha Bozetta Oliver, 36, of the 12400 block of South Laflin Avenue in suburban Calumet Park. Oliver was charged with two felony counts of delivering marijuana near a school.
• Alvin Phillips, 32, of the 4100 block of South Prairie Avenue in Bronzeville. Phillips was charged with five felony counts of delivering marijuana near a school.
• Marvin Williams, 24, of the 4100 block of South Ellis Avenue in Oakland. Williams was charged with two felony counts of delivering marijuana near a school, as well as two felony counts of manufacturing ecstasy.
An order issued by the local liquor control commissioner, Gregory Steadman, said in the past four months, Bar 118 employees have participated at least eight incidents involving in the sale of cocaine, marijuana or methamphetamine.
"The sales of controlled substances have become open, notorious and commonplace" at the bar, Steadman's order states, and are orchestrated by the bar's employees.
O'Shea said the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection has since issued a 30-day suspension of Bar 118's license. O'Shea said he's asked for the tavern's license to be revoked.
"The closure of this bar will make our community a safer place," O'Shea said.
Angela Cross lives a block west of Western Avenue on 118th Street in Morgan Park and agreed with her alderman. Cross said she's made numerous complaints about Bar 118 to police and O'Shea.
"I just want peace around here," said Cross, who has lived in her home for the past 18 years.
She also called the police a handful of times when the bar was named Slackers and operated under different owners. But since Bar 118 moved in, the problems have significantly increased, as have her calls for help.
Cross believes part of the problem is that Bar 118 bills itself on Facebook and elsewhere as a nightclub, advertising for what appears to be large parties. In fact, the tavern is relatively small. So patrons frequently head out to their cars to drink alcohol rather than stay in the bar, Cross said.
"They are continuing to draw in the wrong type of people," she said. "Here's hoping [O'Shea] will be able to get it closed permanently."
Bar 118 opened in April 2015 and complaints about the tavern first surfaced at a town hall meeting Sept. 23. Homeowners living nearby the tavern said there had been an uptick in crime since the bar arrived on the scene.
The tavern was then shut down for three days in March as city officials demanded a "liquor license plan of operation." This plan mandated that Bar 118 hire a security guard at the entrance on Friday and Saturday nights, install five security cameras, make a conscious effort to reduce after-hours loitering and more.
A disciplinary hearing for Bar 118 has been set for 9:30 a.m. Aug. 23 in Room 805 at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.
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