Joliet man jailed again, charged with harassing victim in May 7 gun attack

A Joliet man was sent back to jail on new charges accusing him of harassing the man he’s been charged with wounding in a shooting on May 7.

The arrest of 31-year-old Jesus Zambrano stemmed from an investigation that began when officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Oct. 30, according to Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

Officers determined that a man who had been a victim in a previous case involving Zambrano had been followed by him while in a vehicle, English said.

English confirmed the man is the same one who Zambrano was charged with wounding in a May 7 gun attack.

“Further investigation revealed that Zambrano exited his vehicle while at a stop sign and attempted to gain access to the victim’s vehicle in an attempt to get to the victim,” English said.

On Nov. 11, police detectives secured a warrant for Zambrano’s arrest, he said.

Zambrano was later arrested in a traffic stop and taken to the Will County jail shortly before midnight Monday. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance, aggravated assault and harassment of a witness, according to jail records. Zambrano’s bond was set at $1 million.

English said officers recovered suspected cocaine from Zambrano’s shoe during the traffic stop.

Zambrano was last in jail June 16. He was able to post bond after Judge Carmen Goodman granted a motion from his attorney Chuck Bretz to lower it from $500,000 to $100,000.

Zambrano was charged with shooting another man on May 7 in the 1000 block of North Raynor Avenue. Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said officers responded to the shooting and found a man with a gunshot wound to his groin.

Zambrano filed a petition for a certificate of innocence after a jury in 2019 found him not guilty of shooting and killing Robert Gooch in 2009.

He was previously convicted of killing Gooch following a trial in 2016.

The 3rd District Appellate Court then reversed Zambrano’s conviction after finding his attorneys failed to impeach a witness with evidence that he received immunity to testify, as well as failing to tender a jury instruction for accomplice testimony.