advertisement

Restitution clock ticking for former Kane elections chief

A disbarred attorney who was once tapped to run elections in Kane County has a little more than two weeks to cough up $14,000 or risk possibly spending time in jail for contempt of court.

David Bruun, 72, of Elgin Township, was sentenced to eight years prison after being convicted of bilking an elderly man out of a $500,000 trust in 1998. He has been ordered by Judge James Hallock to pay a $14,000 lump sum to get current on restitution payments owed to the victim, records show.

“Defendant was advised that he was not going to be taken into custody today on the finding of indirect civil contempt but could be taken into custody in the future,” a December court order reads.

Bruun’s felony criminal past came to light after he was hired, and then resigned, as the county’s director of elections in 2007. He had fought the restitution owed to the victim, saying the circuit court no longer had jurisdiction over the matter because Bruun’s mandatory supervised release ended in 2004.

Prosecutors maintained that Bruun had not made a $320 monthly restitution payment since October 2008. Authorities say he still owes $244,616.82, but Bruun is fighting that and also could argue that before Hallock on Feb. 20.

Probation for groping at Target: A 25-year-old Glen Ellyn man, who was accused of groping teenage girls on three different occasions at Target, 3885 E. Main St., St. Charles, recently pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery.

Nicholas E. Muniz, of the 200 block of May Avenue, was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to undergo a sex offender evaluation at the Kane County Diagnostic Center by June 26 and comply with any recommendations.

Muniz also was sentenced to 45 days in jail and shall have no contact with the victims. He was accused of grabbing a girl May 13. Charges from other incidents were dropped under the plea agreement accepted by Judge John Dalton.

A job well done: Longtime Kane County Associate Judge Patricia Golden retired from the bench last week. She was a judge since 1996, helped found the Kane County Child Advocacy Center in 1993, presided over the county’s drug court and drew plenty of praise from her colleagues and peers.

“She served with honor, distinction and humility both the legal community and the people of Kane County, as an assistant state’s attorney, the first director of the Kane County Child Advocacy Center, and later as a judge,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said. “Judge Golden’s commitment to the people, her sense of fairness, and her dedication to justice for all will be missed.”

hhitzeman@dailyherald.com

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.