Illinois (ECWd) –
Following indictments, the Kane County State’s Attorney has charged current and former Campton Hills police officers with a total of 70 felony counts dealing with the unlawful sales of confiscated firearms between January 2018 and February 2023.
Former Campton Hills Police Chief Steven Millar is charged with 41 Felony Counts dealing with unlawful sales of confiscated firearms.
Within the 41 Counts are a mixture of Class 3 and Class 4 Felony charges:
- 5 Counts of felony delivery of firearm before mandatory 72 hours
- 1 Count of wire fraud
- 1 Count of money laundering
- 9 Counts of forgery
- 22 Counts of Official Misconduct
- 3 Counts of theft/unauthorized control
Current Campton Hills Police Officer Douglas Kucik is charged with 7 felony counts dealing with the unlawful sales of confiscated firearms:
- 2 Counts of felony delivery of firearm before mandatory 72 hours
- 2 Counts of Official Misconduct
- 1 Count of money laundering
- 1 Count of wire fraud
- 1 Count of theft
Former Campton Hills Police Officer Scott Coyell is charged with 10 felony counts dealing with the unlawful sales of confiscated firearms:
- 1 Count of obstruction of justice
- 4 Counts of Official Misconduct
- 2 Counts of forgery
- 1 Count of wire fraud
- 2 Counts of theft
Former Campton Hills Police Officer Daniel Hatt is charged with 6 felony counts dealing with the unlawful sales of confiscated firearms:
- 1 Count of obstruction of justice
- 2 Counts of Official Misconduct
- 1 Count of forgery
- 1 Count of wire fraud
- 1 Count of money laundering
While the illegal sales of firearms by police and Sheriffs across Illinois is nothing surprising to us, since we have been writing about it since at least 2012, it does surprise us that people are actually getting charged for these illegal sales.
The Illinois Attorney General issued an unofficial opinion on the subject in 2006 when Crawford County was contemplating the sale of their guns. Acts cited in this opinion were the Criminal Code of 1961, the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and the Law Enforcement Disposition of Property Act.
In 2012, we wrote about the Edgar County Sheriff selling seized firearms to his own Deputies – some with serial numbers filed off – and in 2019 we wrote about an Edgar County Deputy admitting in a deposition that he had purchased firearms from the Sheriff’s department. No charges were ever brought.
In 2012 we wrote about the Perry County Sheriff selling forfeited firearms through an online sale. No charges were ever brought.
In 2015 we wrote about the Coles County Sheriff’s sale of confiscated firearms and even wrote about how the court ordered them destroyed, but he sold them anyway, violating the court order. The then-State’s Attorney and now Judge wrote a letter after the election informing law enforcement in Coles County that they could not continue selling those firearms. WTHI-TV also reported on it (here). He (former Sheriff) is now the county board chairman. No charges were ever brought.
In 2020, we wrote about the Hancock County Sheriff selling firearms and filed and won a FOIA lawsuit to obtain the names of the purchasers.
In 2022, we wrote about the Shelby County Sheriff’s illegal firearms sales, some of which were later “bought back.” No charges were ever brought.
We even assisted in the drafting of legislation that would legally permit local police departments and Sheriffs to sell these types of firearms, it passed the House, but former Senator Kwame Raoul took ahold of it in the Senate, and it was never brought for a vote.
***The charges against these defendants are not proof of guilt. They are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt***
