Ill. Felony Defendants Donated to Prosecutor Funds in Plea Deals OK’d by Judges

Felony defendants in five rural counties in Southern Illinois paid up to $15,000 to anti-crime funds controlled by prosecutors in exchange for probation or dropped charges, a newspaper investigation has found.

Judges approved the payments, made in some cases by defendants who had been accused of rape, homicide, drug dealing and other serious crimes, the Belleville News-Democrat found. The donations ranged from $1,000 to $15,000 in 17 cases, and were made as part of plea agreements. In hundreds of other cases, defendants made lesser payments to the funds.

Two drug defendants freed after agreeing to make donations were arrested again months later on similar charges, the story says.

The payments took place in Saline, Pulaski, Franklin, Wayne and Hardin counties. The prosecutor funds help in police training and help pay for operations of the State’s Attorneys offices.

The Associated Press and McClatchy Newspapers covered the News-Democrat's findings.