Former Southern Illinois Police Chief Facing Federal Charges, Accused of Public Corruption

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - 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.

"Officials in positions of power must be held to the highest ethical standard, and those accused of defrauding the public will be held accountable," said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.

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.

"During our investigation, the ISP Special Investigations Unit found evidence of a public official trying to defraud Wayne City," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "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."

According to court documents, Fenton is accused of selling two motorcycles valued at more than $5,000 and trading one motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang for his personal benefit.

"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," said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. "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."

An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

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.