Oak Lawn Police Charge Homeless Man with Possession of Drug Equipment

A man panhandling on the roadway in the 4000 block of West 95th Street in Oak Lawn was charged with possession of drug equipment and solicitation after he was found with a crack pipe on Sept. 7, said.

A police officer on bike patrol saw Roy Cleaves, 54, of the 9700 block of South Keeler Avenue, soliciting money and taking a cardboard sign—which stated he was homeless and needed help—out of a bag, according to the police report.

Police said Cleaves set something down on the curb next to him, then held up his sign and began hitting up cars for money. The cop blew his horn, signaling  for Cleaves to leave, but Cleaves looked in the cop’s direction and ignored him, the report said. The officer walked up to Cleaves and saw a clear glass pipe on the ground, police said.

The officer didn’t mention the pipe to Cleaves, who told the cop, “That’s my pot pipe,” police said. When the officer asked if he meant “crack pipe,” Cleaves admitted the pipe was for crack, police said.

According to the report, Cleaves told police he’d been drinking and needed to solicit money to buy crack.

Police said that Cleaves is a known habitual drug user in the area and has been warned numerous times to stop using drugs. Officers left Cleaves’ bike chained to a tree and took him to the police station where he was charged.

Cleaves is to appear in court on Oct. 12 in Bridgeview.