Hearing for widow of disgraced Fox Lake cop set for September
A court date has been set to review the case against the widow of a disgraced Fox Lake police officer accused of misappropriating funds from a youth police Explorer group.
The Sept. 21 court hearing in front of Judge Victoria Rossetti will review detailed information involving the charges filed against Melodie Gliniewicz, 51, of Antioch Township.
Melodie Gliniewicz was charged in January with nine felony counts of conspiracy, unlawful use of charitable funds for personal gain, and money laundering. She also faces one misdemeanor count of conspiracy. If found guilty of all charges at trial, she could be sentenced to a maximum seven years in prison, authorities said. The charges are also probationable.
The misdemeanor count of conspiracy carries a sentence of up to one year in jail and fines,
She was charged after an investigation into her deceased husband - Lt. Joe Gliniewicz - showed they had been using money donated to the Fox Lake Police Explorer Post 300 for their own purposes, authorities said. Authorities said Joe Gliniewicz staged his suicide as a murder last September in fear those thefts would be uncovered.
Investigators found inconsistencies in financial documents involving Joe Gliniewicz while investigating his death. The Explorers fund was used to pay for a trip to Hawaii, many coffee shop purchases, tickets for the Fox Lake Theatre, and more than 400 restaurant charges, authorities have said.
Melodie Gliniewicz was a citizen adviser for the post, authorities said.
Her attorneys have previously denied any wrongdoing. Her trial is scheduled for Nov. 14.