Former Lake County deputy pleads guilty to contempt
A former Lake County Sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges he lied under oath while testifying in a driving under the influence case, officials said.
Justin Hill, 28, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 12 months conditional discharge and 90 days in the Lake County jail after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of criminal contempt of court, Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Scott Hoffert said.
Hill won't have to serve the jail time if he complies with the other terms of his sentence, Hoffert said.
Those terms include paying a $500 fine, donating $500 to Crime Stoppers and completing 100 hours of community service, defense attorney Thomas Briscoe said.
Three counts of perjury were dropped in exchange for the plea deal Wednesday, officials said. Hill could have been sentenced up to five years in prison if found guilty of those charges at trial.
His employment with the Lake County Sheriff's Office was terminated June 2, Lake County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Chris Covelli said. A grand jury approved charges of perjury in May.
Authorities said Hill gave inconsistent testimony while under oath during a Nov. 2 hearing in a driving under the influence case. Authorities have declined to detail the false testimony Hill gave.
Briscoe said Hill gave the false information to protect an investigation and a person he was trying to get information from. He said the sheriff's office was never informed of the investigation.
Hill was sworn in as a deputy in September 2014 after previously working as a court security officer, according to a previous Facebook post from the sheriff's office. Briscoe said Hill is a decorated veteran who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan.