Former DeKalb County administrator Gary Hanson attended his first court hearing yesterday on the grand jury indictment that sets out 15 counts against him of concealment and destruction of public records and official misconduct.
If he’s convicted, sentencing could include prison time as well as fines, thanks to legislation inspired by Rita Crundwell’s theft of $53 million from City of Dixon, Illinois, which involved concealing and falsifying public records.
Crundwell was convicted in 2013. In 2014, a new law added the following to Illinois’ Local Records Act:
Any person who knowingly, without lawful authority and with the intent to defraud any party, public officer, or entity, alters, destroys, defaces, removes, or conceals any public record commits a Class 4 felony.
Hanson is accused of 5 counts of concealing and 5 counts of destroying emails. Additionally, 5 official misconduct counts arise from alleged failures to obtain state permission to destroy records.
Units of government in Illinois must follow procedures for disposing of public records that include approval by a state-appointed local records commission.
According to Shaw Media, yesterday’s court appearance involved the prosecutor’s announcement that additional evidence had just been turned over to the defense team and remained confidential pending Court review. Hanson’s arraignment has now been scheduled for December 8 to allow the parties time to examine the new evidence.