A veteran police officer in Illinois has been arrested on suspicion of stealing $12,000 from the home of a drug overdose victim.
Brian Williams, of the Normal Police Department, has been charged with official misconduct and theft and possession of stolen property after conducting a wellness check call on November 25.
Williams was among officers who responded to a 911 call of a possible overdose at a house in Normal. One person was later pronounced dead at the residence.
Later, a relative of the victim told the police department that $12,000 which was kept in a specific location inside the home was missing following the visit from the officers.
The department handed the case over to the Illinois State Police to investigate.
According to week.com, two days after the relative called police about the $12,000, she said she received an anonymous phone call urging her to "quit speaking with the police in order to have the money returned."
The relative said she received another phone call telling her to meet the suspected thief at a gas station in Pontiac so they could return the stolen money to her.
According to court documents seen by week.com, Illinois State Police troopers then accompanied the woman to the gas station. Once there, troopers noticed a male getting in and out of his car in a suspicious manner.
The suspect then allegedly placed a bag containing the missing money near a phone booth. When he was approached by the troopers, Williams identified himself as a Normal police officer.
Williams, who has worked on the force for 18 years, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the internal investigation.
"The Normal Police Department holds the public's trust in the highest regard and will work diligently to complete a thorough and effective investigation," Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said in a statement. "The Department urges everyone to not rush to judgment and to allow time for the process to run its course and come to a factual conclusion before making any judgments.
"As this involves both a criminal and a personnel matter, there is no further information that will be released at this time.
"The officers, staff and Administration of the Normal Police Department are committed to our mission to uphold the law and ensure a safe community for all," Bleichner added. "We will address this issue as expeditiously as possible while ensuring all policies and procedures are followed, in order to best serve our citizens and safeguard the public's confidence."
