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Former southern Illinois police chief pleads guilty to corruption charges

Handcuffs and wooden gavel.
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A former Wayne City police chief appeared in federal court Monday and admitted to selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit.

The U.S. attorney reports 46-year-old Anson Fenton pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen 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.

According to court documents, Fenton sold two motorcycles, a 2017 Harley-Davidson and a 2000 Harley-Davidson, valued at more than $5,000 and kept the proceeds without authorization from the Wayne City Board of Trustees.

He also traded one 2022 Suzuki 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 in prison. He'll be sentenced on July 30.

As a news producer and news anchor on All Things Considered, Brad provides the listeners with a recap of the day's top local and state news as well as breaking news at any given time. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
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