Case Explained: Joliet Police Officer Facing Lottery Tickets Crime Visits Will County Courthouse For 1st Time – Legal Perspective

JOLIET, IL — The last day of 2025 marked the very first day for Joliet police officer Christopher McClinton’s presence inside the Will County Courthouse to answer to his criminal charges filed against him at the end of November.

A special prosecutor relying on Will County’s grand jury system obtained two charges of official misconduct, one charge of forgery and one charge of theft against the Joliet officer.

According to the indictment, the 26-year-old McClinton presented one of the gas station clerks at the Thorntons on Collins Street with a $100 counterfeit bill on July 13. McClinton used the counterfeit bill to obtain $100 worth of lottery tickets from the Thorntons, the grand jury indictment reads.

The two official misconduct charges indicate McClinton, while acting as a police officer, committed theft against the Joliet Police Department “in that he took a counterfeit $100 from an impounded vehicle.”

A month ago, Joliet Police spokesman Dwayne English issued a statement in regard to the criminal matter involving McClinton, saying, “The Joliet Police Department is aware of the recent Will County grand jury indictment involving Officer Christopher McClinton. The indictment stems from a criminal investigation. The internal investigation related to this matter will be handled by the Joliet Inspector General. Officer McClinton remains employed by the Joliet Police Department and has been on personal medical leave for the past several months. As this case remains open, I am unable to provide further details at this time.”

As for McClinton, the Joliet officer has selected the downtown Joliet law firm of Tomczak Law Group to represent him in his criminal case. The lawyers from the firm who are handling his case are CJ Haney and Jeff Tomczak.

In recent weeks, Tomczak Law Group filed a motion for discovery, seeking that the special prosecutor provide them with any written or recorded statements by witnesses the prosecution intends to call, including those written or recorded statements of police officers.

Tomczak Law Group also asked for any transcript of the proceedings before the grand jury and any books, papers, documents, photographs or tangible objects which the prosecution intends to use at trial or which belong to the accused.