South suburban man gets 1 year in grant fraud scheme

SPRINGFIELD - The husband of a former suburban Chicago police chief has been sentenced to one year in prison for his role in a $1.25 million grant fraud scheme.

Ronald Evans, Jr. of Country Club Hills pleaded guilty last year to money laundering and wire fraud. The U.S. attorneys office in Springfield said Friday he was sentenced to a year in prison, followed by six months of home confinement and two years of supervised release.

Evans and his wife Regina allegedly misused state grant money awarded in 2009 to their nonprofit organization, We Are Our Brother's Keeper.

Regina was sentenced in May to five years in prison. Her brother, Ricky McCoy, was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by six months of home confinement in connection to the same fraud scheme.

Ronald and Regina Evans must also pay more than $900,000 in restitution.