No special prosecutor, McHenry County judge says

McHenry County Judge Thomas Meyer denied a request to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate a misconduct claim made by a sheriff’s department sergeant against Undersheriff Andrew Zinke.

The complaint made by John Koziol accuses Zinke of tipping off Crystal Lake business owner Brian Goode in July that the Drug Enforcement Administration was investigating a case in which a large shipment of marijuana was being shipped to his business.

Zinke has called Koziol a “disgruntled employee.” Zinke and Goode have not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Zinke didn’t return a call for comment on Friday. Koziol’s attorney, Jonathan Nye, also didn’t return calls seeking comment.

McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Louis Bianchi and Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Combs did not return calls asking whether their office would investigate Zinke.

In court documents, Koziol states he was working as part of a DEA task force investigating a truck that was carrying two tons of marijuana destined for the RITA Corp., owned by Goode, who also serves as a McHenry County Sheriff’s Merit Commissioner.

Zinke is seeking the Republican nomination for sheriff in 2014, along with Bill Prim, a retired police commander, and Jim Harrison, an attorney. Nye’s request for a special prosecutor also noted that RITA Corp. donated $50,000 to Zinke’s campaign after July.