A shocking case has emerged from the streets of Chicago, where a resident alleges he was wrongfully detained and prosecuted by local law enforcement. On November 11, 2025, Ruben Anzo filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the City of Chicago and two police officers, Joseph F. Stopka and an unidentified Jane Doe. The complaint accuses these defendants of violating Anzo’s constitutional rights during an incident that took place on August 21, 2025.
According to the complaint, Ruben Anzo was sitting in his vehicle with three others near S. Rockwell St. and W. 534 St. when he decided to exit his car and walk towards a nearby house. It was then that Officers Stopka and Doe allegedly activated their police vehicle’s emergency lights, approached Anzo, and placed him in handcuffs without any reasonable suspicion or belief that he had committed a crime. “Defendant Officers did not have a reasonable belief that Plaintiff violated, was violating, or was about to violate any laws,” states the complaint.
The situation escalated as more officers arrived at the scene and proceeded to search Anzo’s vehicle without justification, issuing him five citations in the process. These actions led to Anzo being summoned to court on October 20, 2025; however, neither Officer Stopka nor Officer Doe appeared at this hearing, resulting in the dismissal of all charges against him.
Anzo’s lawsuit claims multiple violations under both federal and state law. Under Count I and II of his complaint, he asserts that his Fourth Amendment rights were breached due to unreasonable seizure and search by the officers involved. Counts III and IV accuse them of false imprisonment and malicious prosecution under Illinois law respectively. “Defendant Officers deprived Plaintiff of his right secured by the Fourth Amendment,” reads one section of the document.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court: general damages for emotional distress caused by these events; special damages related to any specific losses incurred; attorney fees; punitive damages against Officer Stopka and Jane Doe; costs associated with bringing this suit forward; along with any other awards deemed appropriate by judicial authorities overseeing this matter.
Representing Ruben Anzo is attorney Peter T. Sadelski from Ed Fox & Associates Ltd., based out of Chicago—a firm known for its dedication towards civil rights cases like these ones involving alleged police misconducts across Illinois region courts such as Circuit Court Cook County where initial proceedings took place before being dismissed due lack attendance defendants mentioned earlier within narrative account provided above regarding timeline events leading up current legal action initiated now underway federal level jurisdiction context outlined hereinabove detailing sequence occurrences transpired affecting client adversely manner described throughout documentation submitted filing date noted previously November eleventh year twenty-twenty-five corresponding Case ID number assigned: 1:25-cv-13846 overseen presiding judge yet determined time writing article awaiting further developments unfold public eye scrutiny remains vigilant pursuit justice sought behalf individual wronged unjustly circumstances detailed forthwith below:
Source: 125cv13846_Ruben_Anzo_v_City_of_Chicago_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
