Late last year, a federal grand jury indicted a former Southern Illinois police chief amid federal charges related to public corruption. Former Wayne City Police Chief Anson Fenton, 46, has reportedly been accused of selling forfeited items confiscated by the police department for his personal gain. Fenton served in the police department for over a decade.
The former police chief faces one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. He is accused of selling two motorcycles valued at over $5,000 and trading one motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang. If convicted, Fenton could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Fenton’s trial date was initially scheduled for Tuesday, January 28th, but has been rescheduled to March 24th to allow for the negotiation of a plea deal. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe weighed in on the case, stating, “Officials in positions of power must be held to the highest ethical standard, and those accused of defrauding the public will be held accountable.”
Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said, “During our investigation, the ISP Special Investigations Unit found evidence of a public official trying to defraud Wayne City. The public must be able to trust those who work in public service and ISP will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate violations of the public trust.”
FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson said in a statement, “The cornerstone of the public’s trust in law enforcement relies on the expectation that each person who takes the oath to protect and serve the public will do so with integrity.” He added, “The FBI Is committed to investigating anyone who undermines the rule of law and tarnishes the reputation of the many dedicated, honest, and hard-working officers who serve their communities every day.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Illinois released a statement on the case, explaining the charges brought against Fenton. “A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the former Wayne City police chief with selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit. Anson Fenton, 46, of Belle Rive, is facing one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property,” the press release read.
The authorities continued, “Asset forfeiture is a legal process to confiscate the means or proceeds of a crime and can apply to a range of property, including money, vehicles, and real estate, among other assets. Wayne City stores forfeited items at the Wayne City Police Department until city officials pass an ordinance to authorize the sale of the property.”
"*" indicates required fields
The attorney’s office added, “If convicted, Fenton could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count. Wayne City is a village in Wayne County in the Southern District of Illinois. The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation with support from the FBI Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.”