Retired cop who threatened Gliniewicz investigators pleads guilty
A retired Chicago cop accused of threatening authorities investigating the death of Fox Lake police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct in Lake County court Thursday.
Joseph A. Battaglia, 54, of the 5600 block of West 103rd Street in Oak Lawn, was sentenced to one year of supervision after the guilty plea was accepted by Judge Brian Hughes, Assistant State's Attorney Vince Stavros said. A charge of harassment by telephone was dropped as part of the plea deal, Stavros said.
As part of the plea deal, Battaglia is not allowed to have any contact with the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, Cmdr. George Filenko or employees at the Lake County coroner's office, Stavros said. Battaglia is not allowed to be in possession of any firearms while on supervision, must not partake in any drugs or alcohol and must submit to a mental health exam, Stavros said.
Battaglia was accused of calling the Lake County coroner's office Sept. 11 and threatening to harm all of the members of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, other investigators, Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd and coroner's office employees unless Gliniewicz's death was declared a suicide.
During the call, he identified himself to employees as a former Chicago police officer and blocked his phone number to help cover his identity, authorities said.
Battaglia was arrested at his home the next day.
At the time the calls were made, authorities were under the assumption Gliniewicz was killed in the line of duty by three men acting suspiciously in Fox Lake on Sept. 1. Since then, investigators determined Gliniewicz killed himself because of the stress that he would be caught embezzling funds from Fox Lake Law Enforcement Explorers Post 300 that he led.
Gliniewicz used the stolen funds to pay for mortgages, vacations, adult websites and personal loans, authorities have said.
Had the case against Battaglia gone to trial, he could have been sentenced up to a year in jail and received a $1,500 fine.