WAUKEGAN IL. Jan 28 2008 -- A six-month investigation into alleged ghost-payrolling at the Waukegan Public School District led to the arrest this week of two district security guards on felony theft charges.
Taken into custody Wednesday was Anthony Artley, 41, of the 500 block of Lakehurst in Waukegan, while the second suspect, 47-year-old DeWayne Williams of the 39000 block of Ackworth, Beach Park, reportedly turned himself in to police on Thursday.
Williams is known in the Waukegan sports community as the backfield mate of the late Gerald Green, the Waukegan West track and football All-American. Williams has been employed as the supervisor of safety at the Waukegan Ninth Grade Center.
Police Chief William Biang said Williams and Artley, a fellow Ninth Grade Center employee, are accused of arranging to be paid for time they did not work. The arrests were the result of an investigation launched in July after school officials asked police to look into allegations of payroll and accounting irregularities.
Asked how much money the men are accused of taking, Biang said, "It's all still under investigation. We're not done counting it, and there are more things that might come out." Biang added that the amounts "will be substantial."
Both men are charged with Class 3 felony theft.
Following their arrests, Artley and Williams were released on $35,000 personal recognizance bonds.
Officials also said they have been placed on administrative leave by the school district.
Officials asked that anyone with information call detectives at (847) 599-2947.
Taken into custody Wednesday was Anthony Artley, 41, of the 500 block of Lakehurst in Waukegan, while the second suspect, 47-year-old DeWayne Williams of the 39000 block of Ackworth, Beach Park, reportedly turned himself in to police on Thursday.
Williams is known in the Waukegan sports community as the backfield mate of the late Gerald Green, the Waukegan West track and football All-American. Williams has been employed as the supervisor of safety at the Waukegan Ninth Grade Center.
Police Chief William Biang said Williams and Artley, a fellow Ninth Grade Center employee, are accused of arranging to be paid for time they did not work. The arrests were the result of an investigation launched in July after school officials asked police to look into allegations of payroll and accounting irregularities.
Asked how much money the men are accused of taking, Biang said, "It's all still under investigation. We're not done counting it, and there are more things that might come out." Biang added that the amounts "will be substantial."
Both men are charged with Class 3 felony theft.
Following their arrests, Artley and Williams were released on $35,000 personal recognizance bonds.
Officials also said they have been placed on administrative leave by the school district.
Officials asked that anyone with information call detectives at (847) 599-2947.
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January 28, 2009
BY NICHOLAS ALAJAKIS nalajakis@scn1.com
WAUKEGAN -- Former Waukegan security guards Anthony Artley and DeWayne Williams have been found not guilty of bilking the school district out of thousands of dollars.
Circuit Judge John Phillips ruled late Monday afternoon there is not enough evidence to support the allegations.
Williams of Beach Park and Artley of Waukegan were accused of falsifying time cards. Prosecutors alleged that the men worked other jobs during hours when they were supposed to be on duty in Waukegan. They were cleared on six counts of theft each.
That the men were found not guilty came as no surprise to Artley's attorney, Douglas Roberts, who questioned why the men were ever charged.
"I don't think that the judge had any choice," Roberts said. "The state was woefully short in the evidence that they needed (for a guilty verdict)."
During the bench trials, many witnesses -- including the security guards' former supervisor, Al Rogers -- testified that the time sheets turned in by staff only represent hours they are scheduled to work, and not necessarily their actual hours.
Roberts and Williams' attorney, Elliot Pinsel, argued from the beginning of the case that their clients were simply following a protocol that had been in place for years.
Roberts said he thought Rogers' testimony was the most helpful, because he explained that security guards were often allowed to work different hours than what they were scheduled as long as Rogers verbally approved it.
"(Rogers's testimony) had all the weight in the world," Roberts said. "He is a department head, and he is authorized to set shifts and make changes."
Pinsel said he thinks the trial could have been avoided if school officials spoke with Artley and Williams before going to police.
Pinsel said Roberts they don't know what their clients will do next. Williams and Artley lost their jobs with the school district following their arrest, and both were maligned in the press, Pinsel said.
"Where do the guys go to get their reputation back?" he asked.
This seems to be part of the RICO enterprise, innocent people are Arrested and placed on trial for media attention and personal gain , as always the public is completely unaware of the facts and on many occasions joined the State’s plot for a modern –day hanging. I hope the individuals responsible for drawing-up fake criminal activity just to make the state's attorney's office look important are brought to justice. One of many fake cases>> The alleged Ghost Payroll Scam!!!! THIS ONE YEAR FAKE CASE COST THE TAX PAYER OVER $250.000 alleging a theft of $2,300??? It was no surprise the men were found not guilty on all six felony counts of theft??? Not enough evidence the “judge” entered!!! On the heads of the clueless, buying in to lies with missing facts. The cover up is “criminal” and is the true crime. Thus, all involving parties who acted upon these allegations without complete understanding of the facts or evidence. The Rico Act was set fourth for these reasons Political Corruption!!!!! There are plenty of true crimes from all walks of life being committed. Go get’em Mr. Waller and make the evidence stick!!!
Waller said they "constantly report the same false claims. They don't have any interest in the truth." now thats funny! I think Waller should look in the mirror. With all due respect ms rotheimer they offer a plea deal for every single case that come to them. In many cases the claims are false against the defendants and they do not have the funds for a big court battle. they take a plea innocent or not. Thats exactly what the states atty off is hoping for. that way they can rack up another conviction. the police another arrest. In many case the truth does not matter to them. just votes and promotions. The plea ndeal are not just happening in s@x cases. they happen in every case.
You can't beat city hall!!! It's sad...but it is that simple. The corruption among those in office will always be ignored. Especially with the WALLERS.....They have used their power to destroy so many individuals that did not have the means to fight back at them. One covers the lies of the other. Major things have been covered up to hide the embarrassment of the tactics of Waller. Another fake case>> How can a clerk who stole fine money which would result in a felony never get anything more then a little write up.....and forgotten about. NO JAIL TIME...and managed to get another GREAT JOB......Could it be that someone was protecting their muffin....and DUI's. HOLY cripes...you have judges sitting on the benches that used their power to keep their OWN RELATIVES from being fined.....DIRT.....Yes it is.....but do not set up there as being above us. You have used your power to the fullest for corruption!!!! It's just not MEATY enough for the PRESS to cling onto....Because the bigger cities get the coverage.
By NICHOLAS P. ALAJAKIS nalajakis@scn1.com
WAUKGAN -- A small group of Michael Waller critics say they are trying to drum up more opposition to the longtime Lake County state's attorney.
At a Monday morning gathering outside the Lake County Building, each person in the group had a gripe against Waller.
We feel the state's attorney's office has been counter-productive to change," said Waukegan resident Christopher Blanks, who bemoaned what he calls "malicious prosecutions" by Waller's office.
Blanks, who is a member of the Black Abolition Movement for the Mind and the National Action Network of Lake County, was joined by members of Mothers Against Violence and Illinois Family Court Accountability Advocates.
Blanks criticized Waller's office for not prosecuting police officers for a pair of 2008 shooting deaths of young black males in Waukegan and North Chicago. He also pointed the finger at Waller for a grand jury's ruling in January that a Waukegan store clerk was justified in fatally shooting a robber who fled his store.
At a microphone with Blanks was Barrington resident and longtime Waller critic Denise Rotheimer, who raked the state's attorney's office for its handling of child sexual assault cases.
Rotheimer urged everyone with complaints to demand "justice" from elected officials.
Waller said afterward that the complaints heard Monday were repetitive and without merit.
"They are factually inaccurate," he said, referring to Rotheimer, Blanks and Sheila Mannix, who also spoke Monday. He said they "constantly report the same false claims. They don't have any interest in the truth."
The people at the protest said they'll sponsor a march dubbed "Justice for All" at 2 p.m. May 6 in downtown Waukegan.
The comments provoked by Alajakis’ article exemplify the reality that we citizens have a right to the allegations of misconduct and abuses of power by our public officials to be investigated. Ex-governor Ryan did great things in office. He also broke federal law and sits in a federal prison – because the death of children exposed his crimes We have judges, state’s attorneys, sheriffs, and other public officials who are allegedly violating state and federal law as well. And these crimes include theft of honest services and fraud against the government - all on our taxpayers’ tab. We have enough evidence and witness testimony for the initiation of legislative hearings in Springfield regarding the conduct of multiple public officials. The murder of the Connolly boys due to Illinois’ Pay-to-Play Parenthood which involves the judiciary, state’s attorney’s offices, sheriff’s offices, and local police departments got news coverage. It is but one of thousands of cases involving similar misconduct and abuses of power that results in irreparable harm and even death to innumerable children across our state. I know of no honest public official, especially honest cops and firefighters, who would not support stopping irreparable harm of children by corrupt public officials. All self-interest driven rationalizations aside, who will take the point to initiate legislative hearings? Perhaps State Representative Bob Biggins. (R–Elmhurst
Trend in Judge Phillips's courtrooms of the School Security Officers Charged With Ghost Payrolling.
"Judge Phillips" has a Great deal of Experience on the bench and an appreciation of the human condition. Legal issues are handled fairly and concise in his courtroom; let’s face it sometimes people can hear bad news when they know that they have been heard by a person with wisdom and that they got a fair shake. When people feel angry at the system, it’s because they feel they were shortchanged in one way or another”. Great job Sir, D. R
Just wait. There are alot of other pots simmering on the states attys stove here. There will be more lack of evidence cases for them. It was just electetion time dont forget. They had to make some false arrests to get them past november. to make them look important. then the cases fall apart after the election, but no matter. they are still in office. agenda agend agenda. when will something be done?
Citizens of Waukegan, it is very clear to the human eye how our tax dollars are wasted. School administrators are funding expensive personal agendas, without merit or logic to support their personal agendas. This administration funded a malicious fake prosecution without any evidence to support the allegations. The school district is where the majority of taxpayer’s dollars are spent and more likely wasted, whether you have children attending the district or not. School administrators and school board appointees are making poor decisions that effect our children's education and our financial future. A large sum of money was spent on a year long “Ghost payroll scam investigation”. The School District produced absolutely nothing concluding it’s year long investigation. I must admit at first light of the allegations an outraged emotion fueled my heart. I took a personal interest in the accused bilking the school district. I attended portions of the trial and was I surprise to discover an immensely amount of facts regarding the allegations. Without merit, School Administrators should have been the ones on trial. There was absolutely no evidence to support the charges. This is of many personal agenda driven plots this Administration has funded. A host of Lawsuits are pending currently against the District as a result of many foul-ups. I'm just a plain hard-working citizen however, common sense deem me to understand certain factices: School Board accountability, Belt tightening, Transparency at a reasonable cost? What do you say, Waukegan District 60? Please let’s learn from our failing strategies and mis presentation.
No of course more tax-dollars will be spent supporting a lawsuit due to these idiots’ agenda.
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