Police Chief Responds To Allegations Of Guns Being Sold Out Of Evidence Room

CAMPTON HILLS, IL — Officials in Campton Hills say the conduct of police officers accused of selling guns out of the village's evidence room does not reflect on the "integrity, professionalism or commitment" of police officers under current leadership.

"These charges involve alleged conduct that occurred under prior village and police department leadership," Campton Hills Police Chief James Levand said in the statement.

Meanwhile, the only officer facing charges and still employed by the Campton Hills Police Department has been placed on paid administrative leave, Levand said.

Last week, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office announced indictments had been filed against Kucik as well as former Campton Hills Police Chief Steven Millar and former Campton Hills officers Scott Coryell and Daniel Hatt.

Between January 2018 and February 2023, prosecutors say the guns, which were in police department possession in the evidence room, were unlawfully sold. In addition, the four current and former police department employees are accused of filing reports and in some case amending reports to "facilitate the sales and obstruct investigators," according to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office.

On Thursday, Millar, Coryell, Hatt and Kucik turned themselves in to the Kane County Sheriff's Office and appeared in court, according to a news release from the state's attorney's office. They were all released from police custody under special conditions, which include a ban on possessing guns, communicating with co-defendants or traveling out of state without the court's permission.
The men face the following charges:

• Millar, 60, faces 41 counts, which include charges of money laundering, forgery, official misconduct, misapplication of funds, wire fraud, theft and delivery of a firearm before the 72-hour waiting period expired.
• Coryell, 57, has been charged with 10 counts, including forgery, official misconduct, wire fraud, theft and obstructing justice.
• Hatt, 65, is charged with the following six counts, including money laundering, forgery, official misconduct, wire fraud and obstructing justice.
• Kucik, 42, has been charged with theft, official misconduct, money laundering, wire fraud and delivery of a firearm before the 72-hour waiting period expired.

The investigation was conducted by the Illinois State Police Special Investigations Division.

“The public must be able to trust that those charged with enforcing the law are also upholding the law,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “After a thorough, years long investigation, ISP Special Agents submitted evidence of criminal behavior among certain Campton Hills Police Department Officers to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, in an effort to hold these individuals accountable for their actions, and restore public trust.”

The village has "cooperated fully with the Illinois State Police and other agencies throughout the investigation that led to these charges and will continue to do so as the cases proceed through the judicial process," officials said this past week.

Since Levand took over as police chief, the department "has implemented enhanced procedures for evidence management and internal oversight to ensure continued accountability and transparency," according to the statement.

"The men and women of our department serve with honor and professionalism every day, protecting our community with distinction," Levand said in the statement. The village remains committed to working cooperatively with law enforcement and judicial authorities and to maintaining the trust and confidence of our residents. We take great pride in our community, our dedicated employees, and the strong partnerships that make Campton Hills a safe, welcoming, and vibrant place to live and work."

• Ex-Police Chief, Current And Former Cops Illegally Sold Guns Out Of Evidence Room: Prosecutors