A disgraced former McHenry County sheriff’s detective has pleaded guilty to charges that he used county property to arrange drug and prostitution deals and allowed a woman to drive his squad car while he was intoxicated.
Christopher Marvel, 41, of Poplar Grove, was sentenced to two years of probation and about $1,700 in fines after pleading guilty to two counts of official misconduct, court records show.
In response, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said they hold every member of their team to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
“When we were first made aware of Marvel’s actions, we took swift action—placing him on administrative leave and launching an internal investigation,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement issued Friday. “Before that process concluded, he resigned in December 2023, and his resignation while under investigation was reported to the Illinois Training and Standards Board in accordance with the SAFE-T Act. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is responsible for decertification, which means revoking an officer’s certification to work as a law enforcement officer.”
Marvel was charged on February 15, 2024, with eight counts of official misconduct, two counts of solicitation of a sexual act and one count of attempted defrauding a drug screening.
All accusations against Marvel took place between September 1 and October 30 of 2023, court records show.
A criminal complaint detailing the charges against Marvel alleged he committed official misconduct “while acting in his official capacity and with the intent to obtain a personal advantage for himself” when he “performed an act in excess of his lawful authority.”
Marvel was accused of using a cellphone belonging to McHenry County to discuss the terms of a prostitution deal with a woman for which the two would be financially compensated, the complaint said.
Additionally, Marvel was accused of engaging in conspiracy to commit prostitution with the same woman, the complaint said.
The complaint said Marvel twice committed official misconduct when he used his county-issued phone to “coordinate the acquisition of cocaine” and to reimburse himself extra money not used in the purchase.
The defrauding a drug test charge against Marvel when Marvel coordinated with a woman to obtain a child’s urine so that the woman could defraud a drug test, the complaint said.
The complaint said the solicitation of a sexual act charges against Marvel occurred when Marvel allegedly offered a person something of value in exchange for a sexual act.
A grand jury indictment said Marvel was acting in his official capacity and had the intent to obtain a personal advantage for himself when he performed an act in excess of his authority.
That act involved Marvel allowing a woman to drive him from Harvard to Woodstock in a police car owned by the county, the indictment said. Marvel was intoxicated at the time, the indictment added.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office administration was notified of Marvel’s “off-duty incident.” He was immediately placed on administrative leave as a result, according to the sheriff’s office.
The agency opened an internal investigation in accordance with their department policy, but Marvel resigned on December 21, 2023, before the internal investigation was completed.
The Illinois Training and Standards Board was notified of his resignation in accordance with the SAFE-T Act, the sheriff’s office said.
The Illinois State Police and McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office investigated and reviewed the case before the charges were filed.
“The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to transparency and accountability, ensuring that all personnel meet the highest ethical and professional standards,” the sheriff’s office statement issued Friday reads. “Our duty is to serve and protect the community with integrity, and we continue to uphold our responsibility to enforce the law fairly and justly.”