YouTube ‘not a good idea,’ judge tells ex-Schaumburg cop

A former Schaumburg police officer accused of dealing drugs was briefly admonished by a judge Monday for posting a video of himself on YouTube.

DuPage County Judge Blanche Hill Fawell told John Cichy it was “not a good idea” to appear in online videos while his case is pending. She said the added publicity could jeopardize his right to an impartial jury and a fair trial.

“We’ve had a conversation,” responded defense attorney Jay Fuller, who has said he advised Cichy against making further public statements.

Fuller declined to comment outside of court.

Cichy, 30, didn’t talk about the charges against him but spoke of his faith in the roughly 2-minute video, which was posted April 4 and removed a week later.

He had indicated he would publicly profess his faith at a church service in Bartlett.

“I want you to hear about what God — yes, I said it — what God has done to me, for me, within me,” Cichy said on the video. “This is real.”

The message appeared about three months after Cichy and two other tactical officers from the Schaumburg Police Department were accused of skimming from drug dealers and selling the proceeds in DuPage County.

The former officers all have pleaded not guilty to a bevy of felony charges.