Inmate charged with falsely accusing officer

A Lake County jail inmate has been charged with falsely accusing a correctional officer of abusing him, Lake County sheriff's officials said Thursday.

Patrick Anderson, 29, who has addresses in Waukegan and McHenry, is charged with felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Thompson said Anderson was being held on felony retail theft and possession of heroin charges last week when he was taken to see a nurse with injuries to his face.

Anderson originally claimed he fell while exercising in his cell, but changed his story to say he had been attacked by a corrections officer.

Thompson said an investigation was opened into the allegation, including Anderson's claim the officer had used a Taser weapon on him.

Anderson posted $5,000 for bond March 29, and was released before the end of the investigation, Thompson said.

The investigation, which established there are computer records made whenever a sheriff's office Taser is activated, established that Anderson's claim is false, Thompson said.

On Thursday, sheriff's officers obtained an arrest warrant for Anderson on the new offense that orders him held on $100,000 bond.

Anderson's attorney, Michael Nerheim of Waukegan, said Thursday he had been notified of the warrant for his client and intended to surrender him, but could not specify when that would happen.

Court records in Lake and McHenry counties indicate Anderson has an extensive arrest record dating to 1998, including convictions for felony retail theft, aggravated DUI, drug possession, domestic battery and resisting a police officer.

If convicted of the new charge, Anderson could face up to three years in prison on top of the 10 years he faces on the drug and retail theft charges pending against him.