Sycamore firearms instructor charged with forging concealed carry licenses

SYCAMORE – A Sycamore firearms instructor has been charged with falsifying training certificates required to obtain a concealed carry license, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

Brian K. Fleming, 44, of Sycamore was charged with forgery, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to five years in prison, and unlawful violation of the Illinois Firearm Concealed Carry Act, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in county jail, according to DeKalb County court records.

The Illinois Attorney General’s office is prosecuting Fleming.

“Preventing gun violence across Illinois includes prosecuting individuals who lie to subvert safety requirements and break state law,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a news release announcing the charges. “I will continue to partner with the Illinois State Police and law enforcement agencies across Illinois to keep communities safe by holding such offenders accountable.”

Fleming did not respond to a request for comment. Fleming’s lawyer, Melanie Fialkowski of Hirsch Law Group in Sycamore, also did not respond to a request for comment.

In DeKalb County court records, prosecutors alleged that Fleming gave an undercover officer a fake state police certificate that said the applicant had completed the training required to obtain a concealed carry license. The exchange happened Feb. 21, records assert.

The Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant attorneys general Steven Knight and Peter Ravoori are prosecuting.

“Concealed Carry License training requirements are explicit, not discretionary, and are there for a reason,” ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said in the news release. “ISP will not tolerate anyone trying to skirt training requirements and will rigorously investigate any allegations of impropriety.”

DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick issued an arrest warrant for Fleming on Sept. 15, with a $10,000 bond amount attached, records show. The warrant was issued before the Illinois’ pretrial release SAFE-T Act provisions, which prohibit cash bail, went into effect. Fleming was served the warrant on Sept. 27, according to court records.

Fleming appeared in front of Buick on Sept. 28. He posted $1,000 in cash and was released from DeKalb County Jail on Sept. 29, records show.

He was indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury on Oct. 23. Fleming appeared again in court on Nov. 15 for a status hearing in front of Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery, who amended Fleming’s indictment, records show. The amended indictment changed the forgery charge, originally a Class 4 felony, to a Class 3 felony.

Fleming’s next court date is scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 8.