East Central Reporter

Kane County, Illinois, is under scrutiny following allegations from the Illinois Secretary of State and the United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The allegations suggest that Kane County unlawfully masked convictions of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holder involved in an incident leading to the death of a DeKalb County Sheriff's Deputy.

An email dated November 26, 2024, from the USDOT-FMCSA included in its Annual Performance Report highlighted a "finding of masking," serving as a formal notice to Kane County. This notification came one day after the Illinois Secretary of State sent his letter to the FMCSA regarding these allegations.

Communications between the Secretary of State and Kane County reveal additional cases, including domestic battery incidents related to CDL masking. Kane County has acknowledged several errors, including incorrect assumptions, mishandling evidence such as video footage, confusion over legal terminology related to motor vehicle use during offenses, and unintentional reporting failures to the Secretary of State.

A letter dated December 27, 2024, from Kane County's State’s Attorney addressed to both the Secretary of State and FMCSA expressed surprise at reliance on a quick reference guide rather than comprehensive resources like the National Traffic Law Center’s document on avoiding CDL conviction masking or relevant federal codes.

Freedom of Information Act responses have been received from both Kane County's State’s Attorney and the Illinois Secretary of State. A response from USDOT is still pending.