WINNEBAGO COUNTY, Sick. – A previous Illinois coroner pleaded guilty Wednesday to expenses that he used his situation to steal funds from taxpayers and indigent folks from Winnebago County, officers reported.
William Hintz, 52, pleaded responsible to the theft of authorities property bigger than $10,000 and significantly less than $100,000 and official misconduct centered on forgery.
Lawyer Standard Kwame Raoul submitted charges in October 2020, alleging that as Winnebago County’s coroner, Hintz and his wife used county cash for private expenses.
Furthermore, Hintz allegedly expended extra than $10,000 on resort rooms, car rentals, gasoline and tolls unrelated to county organization from April 2018 to July 2020, authorities said.
Raoul filed fees from Michelle Hintz in October 2020, declaring that she was right included with the unauthorized use of her husband’s county credit score playing cards.
Hintz also allegedly altered and submitted different resort billing statements to the county in purchase to help what he reported to be authorized credit score card shelling out.
He allegedly produced a phony meeting agenda in an try to confirm his participation in a conference in New York. Nonetheless, there was allegedly no proof of his registration or attendance.
Illinois Condition Police began investigating Hintz about the alleged fraudulent use of the county’s fuel and credit cards.
SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE FOR Much more Material
After the first 2020 indictment, ISP investigators been given additional data that Hintz allegedly stole about $2,500 from households of people today who had been cremated at the county’s price, prosecutors mentioned.
Hintz was sentenced to 180 times in jail and a complete of 48 months of probation.
Also, he is ordered to pay back $32,817.05 in restitution.
On Wednesday, Hintz also resigned his posture as Winnebago County coroner.
“The steps of this previous community servant are reprehensible. Whilst grieving families have been mourning the decline of their loved ones customers, the defendant was busy defrauding them and the taxpayers of Winnebago County,” Raoul explained. “Public officials who break the believe in of the public they provide will need to be held accountable.”
The scenario in opposition to Michelle Hintz is at present pending.