A former Wayne City police chief in southern Illinois has pleaded guilty to corruption charges. Anson Fenton, 46, of Belle Rive, admitted to selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Anson Fenton, a former police chief in Wayne City, has pleaded guilty to corruption charges. According to a federal court appearance on Monday, Fenton admitted to selling two motorcycles, a 2017 Harley-Davidson and a 2000 Harley-Davidson, valued at more than $5,000, without authorization from the Wayne City Board of Trustees.
Asset forfeiture is a legal process to confiscate the means or proceeds of a crime and can apply to money, vehicles, real estate and more. Wayne City stores forfeited items at the Wayne City Police Department until city officials pass an ordinance to authorize the sale of the property.
As police chief, Fenton was responsible for safeguarding, documenting and preserving property within the care, custody and control of the Wayne City Police Department.
No one is above the law, especially those charged with upholding the law, and the Illinois State Police will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement at all levels to protect the public’s trust, said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
Fenton also traded one 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang for his personal benefit. He admitted to driving the Suzuki over state lines to complete the sale from Wayne City to Alexandria, Virginia.
For the charges, Fenton could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on July 30 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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