Fox Lake man admits to reduced charge in bogus Katrina raffle case

A Fox Lake man accused of organizing a raffle for Hurricane Katrina victims then pocketing the proceeds avoided a possible jail term, and perhaps conviction, under a plea bargain struck with McHenry County authorities Thursday.

Daniel B. Carroll, 43, was sentenced to a year of court supervision and ordered to pay a $500 fine after admitting guilt to a misdemeanor theft charge stemming from the claims first made against him two years ago. If he does not violate the terms of his court supervision, a conviction will not enter on Carroll's record.

The Fox Lake man initially faced a felony theft charge alleging that he raised $2,800 through a December 2005 raffle for the American Red Cross' Katrina Relief Fund, but never turned the funds over to the agency until 16 months later when he learned he was under investigation.

Carroll and his attorney, Daniel Hofmann, declined to comment Thursday.

His plea came on a day he was scheduled to appear in court on his motion to dismiss the felony indictment against him. The motion claimed police knew he had turned over the funds to the Red Cross - albeit 16 months after the raffle - yet never told that to the grand jury that indicted him.

Prosecutors said his decision to hand over the money after he learned he was being investigated does not change the allegation he had intended to keep the raffle proceeds to himself.