Anson Fenton, who led the Wayne City, Illinois police, used seized vehicles for personal gain and could face up to 10 years in prison
Wayne City, a small town in southern Illinois, made headlines in late March 2025 after Anson Fenton, the former local police chief, pleaded guilty in a federal court to two charges involving the misuse of motorcycles confiscated in criminal cases.
Fenton, who headed the police force between 2022 and 2023, admitted to taking possession of vehicles seized and placed under his custody. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, he was charged with “misapplication of property from federally funded programs” and “interstate transportation of stolen property.”
Court documents reveal that Fenton sold two motorcycles—a 2017 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special and a 2000 Fat Boy—without the authorization of the city’s Board of Trustees and used the proceeds for personal purposes. But the case went further: he also took a 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa to Alexandria, Virginia, where he traded it for a 1991 Ford Mustang, which he kept for himself.
As the official responsible for safeguarding confiscated items, Fenton was supposed to ensure any sale only occurred with formal approval from the municipality. However, according to the prosecution, he violated that process, despite knowing that Wayne City received federal funds requiring strict accountability.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office strongly supports our law enforcement, but we must take decisive action when things like this happen,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “By unlawfully taking possession of seized property, the defendant betrayed the trust of the community he swore to protect.”
Sentencing is scheduled for late July 2025. Fenton could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each of the charges.
Source and images: RideApart / Divulgação. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
