Court documents: Aledo police chief struck man in the chest in May 2020

MERCER Co., Ill. (KWQC) - An indictment unsealed Friday in the case of Aledo Police Chief and City Administrator Christopher Sullivan reveals new details about the allegations against him.

The three-count Bill of Indictment - handed up Monday by a Mercer County grand jury - alleges that the 62-year-old struck a man in the chest on May 7, 2020. At the time, he was acting in his official capacity as the chief and city administrator, according to the indictment.

The Illinois State Police, which launched an investigation in June 2021 after receiving a complaint, said earlier this week that the incident happened during an arrest.

Sullivan is charged with two counts of official misconduct, a Class 3 felony punishable by two to five years in prison, and one count of battery, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

He turned himself in to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office Monday and is free after posting 10% of a $10,000 bond.

Sullivan has an initial court appearance Oct. 4.

According to court records, the Mercer County State’s Attorney’s Office requested a special prosecutor to try the case. Court records show a judge granted the request and appointed the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

TV6 Investigates reached out to the Mercer County Clerk’s Office Tuesday for a copy of the indictment and was told the file was sealed.

Court records show Henry County State’s Attorney Catherine Runty on Monday filed a motion to seal the case “pending an ongoing investigation.”A judge granted the motion the same day.

After inquiries by an attorney for TV6, a judge unsealed the case Friday.

Two days after Sullivan’s arrest, a spokesperson for the city said Sullivan had been placed on temporary administrative pay with leave for both positions and that Lt. Nick Seefeld will oversee police department operations.

“We are fully cooperating with the authorities in this matter and are confident that this will cause no disruption to city services,” Mayor Chris Hagloch said in the release.

Neither the mayor nor city council members have commented further. They also did not say how long Sullivan has been with the city.

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