Warrenville alderman arrested on felony theft charge

An embattled Warrenville alderman who was censured last year for alleged ethics violations now faces felony theft charges.

Alderman Christopher Halley was arrested Monday by Warrenville police, Chief Ray Turano said. The 26-year-old, first-term alderman was pulled over by officers who were on the way to his house to serve his arrest warrant on charges of writing a check on a closed account.

Turano said the officers spotted Halley driving near his house and initiated the arrest. His car was towed from the scene.

Halley is charged with theft by deception and deceptive practices after a six-month investigation, police said.

When contacted by phone Monday night, Halley denied he had been arrested.

"That's news to me," Halley said. "I was not arrested."

Halley did not attend Monday's regularly scheduled city council meeting, saying he spent the day with a friend who had just returned from his third combat tour in Iraq. He did not return calls Tuesday morning.

DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett said Halley is accused of "borrowing money on a false premise to help his brother."

According to law enforcement officials and court records, Halley allegedly borrowed money from a friend in the fall of 2009 for a "family emergency." When the friend asked to be repaid, Halley wrote him a personal check in November for $1,500 from an account that was closed.

"It would be like if you closed out your bank account on Feb. 1 and then went to the grocery store on March 1 and paid for $200 worth of groceries with a check from that closed account," Turano said. "You know that check was never going to clear."

Birkett said Halley remains under investigation for a separate complaint that he sold Chicago Bears tickets, but never delivered the tickets. Birkett is urging anyone else who may have made a similar deal with Halley to contact his office at (630) 407-8000.

Turano said Halley was released from custody Monday after posting 10 percent of a $50,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for April 13.

Halley said Monday night he believes he is being "harassed" because of his plans to sue the city over his January 2009 city council censure. Halley said his lawyers are supposed to file the lawsuit later this week.

Halley was censured for alleged ethics violations related to two incidents. In one, he was accused by fellow aldermen of attempting to intimidate a Warrenville police officer who pulled him over on suspicion of drunken driving. A dashboard-mounted video camera showed Halley repeatedly asking the officer and a commanding officer if they "know I'm an alderman in this town," according to minutes from the January council meeting.

Police said Halley displayed his aldermanic badge when the officer approached Halley's car. Halley said he placed the badge on his lap as a means to identify himself to the officer.

The city has since ceased issuing badges to aldermen and required current aldermen to turn in their badges.

In another instance, Halley was accused of asking Turano and the city prosecutor for help getting family and friends out of traffic tickets.

Halley denied all the accusations during the censure debate.

"I've done nothing wrong," Halley is reported as saying in the meeting minutes. "I plan on doing everything in my power, with all the available means under the law, to clear my name and restore my reputation."

Shortly after his 2007 election, Halley became embroiled in controversy. He accused unknown political enemies of creating a page on a popular social networking site aimed at discrediting him. The Web site showed his picture along with a statement that read, "Yes I'm the Alderman, favors don't come cheap."

Halley disavowed the page and claimed he hired a private investigator to find out who created it. The city offered to perform the investigation, but Halley declined the offer. It's unknown if Halley ever learned the identity of the alleged Internet prankster.

Warrenville officials have no ability to remove Halley from office and several aldermen contacted said there were no discussions at Monday's meeting about a second censure against Halley.

Daily Herald Staff Writer Lee Filas contributed to this report.