Shelby County States Attorney Nichole Kroncke Tenders Resignation

Shelby Co. (ECWd) –

The Shelby County States Attorney Nichole Kroncke tendered her resignation letter on December 29, 2022, indicating an effective date of January 31st, 2023. According to the letter she is resigning to take on a state job with the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office beginning February 1, 2023.

“I have accepted a position with the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, Special Prosecution Unit beginning February 1, 2023. I am therefore tendering my resignation as Shelby County State’s Attorney. My last day as State’s Attorney will be January 31, 2023.”

Her letter points to numerous accomplishments during her two years in office.

We asked Kroncke the questions listed below.

1. Can you tell us how many felony cases you prosecuted while in office and how that number compares to the prior SA in her last two years in office?
2. Was Shelby County one of the named Plaintiffs in the SAFE-T Act suit that was ruled on this week?
3. Do you have any recommendations for a possible replacement for your office?

Response:

In response to your inquiry: 

In 2019, the prior administration filed 162 felony cases. In 2020,  123 felony cases were filed (minus the month of December, 2020 – those felony cases were filed by my office).  In 2021, my office filed 171 felony cases and this year we have filed 191 felony cases.

Statistics on the actual number of felonies (rather than felony cases)  filed / prosecuted would require hours to compile but I would roughly estimate that my office quadrupled the number of actual felonies filed.  For example, one felony case filed by my office has 47 separate felonies charged under one case number.   The prior administration typically only charged I to III counts per felony case. 

My office charged more serious felony cases than the prior administration – we filed 5 times the number of Class 2 or greater felonies than the prior administration.  We also substantially increased the total number of years in prison for convicted felons:  510 years in prison + a life sentence during the past two years.  The prior administration averaged 81 years in prison per year over the past four years and averaged 68 years in prison annually during 2019 and 2020. 

Shelby County is one of the named Plaintiffs in the SAFE-T Act suit.  Our case was filed 10/12/22 and the case # is 22 MR 10.

I will work with the county board, if requested, to identify potential replacements for my position. 

Nichole Kroncke