Former Elgin deputy police chief urged to settle lawsuit over ID theft
A former Elgin deputy police chief who pleaded guilty to felony identity theft for hacking into his mistress's husband's email might reach a settlement in a federal lawsuit.
A judge has urged Robert Beeter, who accepted a buyout from the city several years ago, to turn over financial documents in a hope he will reach a confidential lawsuit settlement with Debra Seitz and Greg Welter, according to court records.
"The parties should consider entering into a confidentiality order to protect the exchange of financial documents," wrote Judge David Weisman after a settlement conference last week failed to resolve the lawsuit. "The court will set a new settlement conference date if the parties believe additional settlement discussions are warranted."
Beeter, formerly of Elgin and now of Inverness, was charged with 20 total counts of identity theft and police misconduct in spring 2013. He was accused of hacking into the email of Welter, who was a lieutenant with Elgin police at the time, to aid Welter's now ex-wife, Tamara Welter, whom Beeter was having an affair with at the time.
Seitz was Greg Welter's business partner at the time and they sued for unspecified damages.
Beeter and Tamara Welter were both suspended for a month without pay in 2010 for their actions and Beeter pleaded guilty in summer 2015 to identity theft in exchange for prosecutors dismissing the misconduct charges that Beeter illegally used a law enforcement database for personal use.
Beeter was ordered to complete 50 hours of community service, fined $1,140, and sentenced to two years of probation. Court records indicate he has complied. If he violates his probation, he could be resentenced to more probation, jail or up to seven years in prison.
Weisman ordered Beeter to provide documents showing existing or "depletion of any investment accounts or owned or controlled by (him) over the last 10 years" as well as pension information, mortgage and credit card statements.
The two sides are next due in court Nov. 21.