Ex-Con Bragged to Cops About All the Fighting He Did in Prison: Police

TINLEY PARK, IL — An ex-convict bragged to the cops about all the fighting he did in prison and tried to “box” with an officer before he was arrested, police said.

John Benbow, 36, also allegedly claimed to have been a mixed martial artist for eight years.

Benbow found himself in trouble with the law when he returned to the Urgent Aid on 159th Street after having been ordered to stay away Sunday evening, police said.

Officers reportedly told Benbow to go away and steer clear of the Urgent Aid following a dispute with his girlfriend.

The girlfriend had taken her daughter to see the doctor and Benbow, who “had been drinking,” was dropped off there by his brother, police said.

During an argument with the girlfriend, Benbow hurled his phone to the floor, police said.

After the cops showed up, Benbow “agreed to walk to the Shell gas station and wait for his brother to come pick him up,” police said. He was told he would be arrested for trespassing if he came back.

But Benbow came back anyway, police said, and he was determined to stick around.

“John refused to leave and began to jump up and down and wanted to ‘box,’” police said. “John continued to yell that he wanted to ‘jump.’”

Benbow allegedly approached officers “in an aggressive manner and had to be told to back up,” according to police. He “then clenched his fists and stated ‘I’ll knock your head off and your head off’” as he pointed at two of the cops.

An officer told Benbow “he was under arrest and he advised no he wasn’t,” police said. He allegedly struggled with the cops so they shocked him with a Taser and handcuffed him.

While the police were attempting to subdue Benbow, his girlfriend “drove back up where we were at upsetting and aggravating John even more,” police said. It was at this time that Benbow “claimed to be in numerous fights while in prison and (that he) was an MMA fighter for eight years.”

Benbow must have managed to fit all of his fighting into a relatively short period of time, as he was only locked up in Shawnee Correctional Center for three months, according to prison records. He did his time from March 2015 until June for driving on a revoked license and possessing a controlled substance.

On Sunday, Benbow was charged with trespassing, aggravated assault and resisting a peace officer. He was released on bond.