Charges dropped against Fox River Grove officials

A pair of high-ranking Fox River Grove public works officials were cleared today of using village money to fund a personal home improvement project, but one admitted guilt to an unrelated claim he sold village property without permission.

Daniel Hughes, the village's superintendent of water and sewer, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property alleging he sold a town-owned generator for scrap without authority.

His attorney said Hughes, a village employee since 1984, did not keep proceeds from the sale for himself, but declined to say how exactly he spent the money.

Under terms of the plea deal, Hughes, 43, of Fox River Grove, admitted guilt to the misdemeanor charge in exchange for prosecutors dismissing felony charges of official misconduct and attempted theft of government property from the alleged home improvement scam.

He was sentenced to one year of conditional discharge, which is probation without mandatory meetings with a probation officer, and ordered to pay the village $2,000 restitution.

Hughes declined comment on his plea, but defense lawyer Michael Barrett indicated his client may seek reinstatement to his $69,871-a-year job.

"We'll have to see how the dominoes fall on that," he said.

Both Hughes and co-defendant John Reese, the village's assistant superintendent of streets and parks, have been suspended without pay since September when McHenry County authorities accused them of spending hundreds of dollars in taxpayer money on materials to link Reese's new home to the village's water and sewer system.

The McHenry County State's Attorney's office dismissed two official misconduct charges against Reese, 43, of Fox River Grove, after determining there was not enough evidence to convict him.

"This case should never have been brought against John," Reese attorney Philip Prossnitz said. "There was no evidence of a crime. In effect, he's become the Richard Jewell of McHenry County."

With his name cleared, Reese, a village employee since 1992, said he hopes to return to what he called the best job he's ever had.

"I had no knowledge of any of this," he said of the accusations. "I'm glad the system worked and I'm ready to get back to work."

A decision on the two employees' future would not come immediately, Fox River Grove Village Administrator Art Osten said.

"The village board will have to meet and discuss what action to take in regards to Mr. Reese and Mr. Hughes," he said.