Police impersonation suspects might enter pretrial program

Two St. Charles men appear to be headed to a pretrial diversion program for nonviolent offenders after being arrested on felony charges they used a megaphone to pull over motorists along Randall Road in South Elgin earlier this year.

Jeffrey S. Stolzenburg, 20, of the 37W200 block of Red Gate Road, and Michael R. McSweeney, 19, 7N600 block of Cloverfield Circle, were charged in June with felony false impersonation of a police officer.

But the prosecutors recently reduced the charges to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

McSweeney is due in court Dec. 7 at which time defense attorney D.J. Tegeler hopes a judge will enter his client into a Second Chance Program that, if completed, will have the state drop the charges without the defendant pleading guilty.

“They weren’t out to hurt anyone,” Tegeler said. “They we’re being kids, having fun and didn’t realize the ramifications of their actions. I think the state did the right thing by reducing the charges to a misdemeanor.”

Authorities were called June 16 to Randall and Silver Glen roads for a report of two people in a gold Chevy Malibu telling motorists over a loudspeaker to move over and making siren noises with their mouths through the speaker.

A motorist followed the vehicle, which was driven by McSweeney, into a parking lot and police arrested them, authorities said. No one was injured and the pair did not approach any vehicles on foot pretending to be cops.

Louis Morelli, Stolzenburg’s defense attorney, could not be reached for comment. According to court records, Stolzenburg was entered into the program earlier this month and due in court Jan. 23 for a progress report.