Disorderly Conduct Arrest After Downtown Joliet Public Library Incident Involving Community Activist

JOLIET, IL — Two days after Joliet City Manager Beth Beatty announced during a City Council meeting that an arrest was made, the Joliet Police Department has disclosed that 63-year-old Michael Lance was given a disorderly conduct citation for the downtown Joliet Public Library incident involving community activist Trista Graves Brown nearly two weeks ago.

Brown attended Monday night's Joliet City Council meeting, revealing that a man had tried to abduct her as she was preparing to teach one of her Saturday morning classes at the library.

According to the Joliet Police Department, police officers went to the downtown library at 9:19 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 after library security contacted an officer indicating that a man reportedly had made inappropriate comments to a library patron, and that security wanted the man removed from the premises.

Officers found the man in the library, and he was identified as 63-year-old Michael Lance. Lance was told by the officers that he was no longer welcome at the library, and the incident was settled at the scene, according to the police report.

While the officers were leaving the library, they learned that Lance had allegedly approached Brown and made a lewd comment that was sexual in nature to her as she walked on Clinton Street near the library, Joliet police told Patch.

"It is believed Lance left the area in a vehicle following this interaction," Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English announced.

Nine days later — and three hours prior to Monday's City Council meeting — Lance was issued a city ordinance violation citation for disorderly conduct at 2:17 p.m. after being located by Joliet's officers at the Bel-Air Motel, 1103 Plainfield Road.

Lance was cited and released at the scene, and there is no mug shot since a ticket was issued at the scene, according to English.

On Wednesday, after learning details of Lance's disorderly conduct arrest, Joliet Patch re-interviewed Brown. She said the incident with her happened outside, not inside, the Joliet Public Library.

She said that she was bent down along the sidewalk on Clinton Street handling the books and supplies in her wagon when the man approached her from behind.

She told Patch that he did touch her body, grabbing her near her waist.

"I didn't hear him come up on me," she explained.

She said she elbowed him and yelled at him, and he took off, "running like a penguin." Brown said he got into his green pickup truck and drove off, heading down Clinton Street toward the Harrah's Casino.

Brown told Joliet Patch on Wednesday that she has no regrets about speaking publicly about the incident during this week's Joliet City Council meeting.

She said she continues to patronize the Ottawa Street library, and she wants other people to continue to visit the downtown library, too.

"I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm looking for safety," she told Joliet Patch on Wednesday. "I would rather be an advocate than a victim of anybody."