Woodstock attorney new top prosecutor downstate

A Woodstock defense attorney who has represented various McHenry County politicians is the new state’s attorney in an office about five hours south of McHenry County.

Robert Hanlon, 56, was sworn in Thursday as Shelby County state’s attorney and will complete the last two years of a term vacated by the county’s former state’s attorney Nichole Kroncke.

Kroncke, who from 2004 to 2010 was an assistant state’s attorney in McHenry County, now works in the special prosecutions unit for the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, according to her resignation letter in Shelby County dated Dec. 29.

Hanlon, recommended by the local Republican Central Committee, was voted in by the Shelby County Board on Feb. 2 in a 14 to five vote, the county clerk and Shelby County Board Chair Robert Orman said Tuesday.

During that meeting, when some board members appeared to be questioning why Hanlon was selected, Hanlon stood up and touted his years of experience as a defense attorney in various counties throughout the state, including 70 civil trials.

He has defended murderers, criminal sexual assault and child pornography cases “things that deal with abhorrent behavior in the community,” he said.

“I have been asked to give consideration to solve a problem” of an absent state’s attorney and the only issues are “do I possess the skills, requisites, experience and so forth to serve that function,” he told the board members.

“I don’t know why God placed me on this planet and made me a lawyer, ... but he presented this opportunity for me to serve all of you,” Hanlon said. “... Right now, this county board has a serious problem that it must take action on.”

While Hanlon does not have experience as a prosecutor, Orman said he does have a law degree and a long law career of representing municipalities and private individuals from local to federal courts.

Hanlon has represented the Algonquin Township Road District and most recently McHenry Township as well as local blogger and former state Rep. Cal Skinner and McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio’s election campaign over the years.

Orman said if he could point to one reason for Hanlon being chosen, it would be based on his “overall experience in the law.” Based on research, it appears his “command of the law [has been] well received,” Orman said.

As do other appointees, Hanlon will attend conferences and training. He also has the opportunity to build his office with support staff to aid in his new position.

“The state’s attorney’s office is diverse,” Orman said. “He may not have to be a star prosecutor and a star civil attorney, but you can create a team that puts all those nuances together.”

Last year, Hanlon was charged with a criminal misdemeanor of criminal damage to property of less than $500. The charge, which was eventually dismissed, alleged he vandalized campaign signs belonging to Tony Colatorti.

Colatorti was the sole challenger vying for McHenry County sheriff against Robb Tadelman. Tadelman, who ultimately won, returned $1,000 in campaign donations from Hanlon, he said at the time.

In a motion seeking to dismiss the charge against Hanlon, which was granted, Special Prosecutor Dave Neal wrote that although there was probable cause to charge Hanlon, ... it is not in the “best interest of justice to proceed to trial on the merits of this case before a judge or jury.”

Orman said he recalls hearing “rumblings” of something in Hanlon’s past but he could not say Tuesday what or when he knew and could not speak for anyone else.

On Tuesday, Colatorti, an Algonquin restaurant owner, said it was “concerning” that Hanlon was “appointed to a position of public trust and accountability.”

Colatorti questioned how Hanlon could be trusted to hold criminals accountable and why the county did not display more “due diligence into Mr. Hanlon’s character.”

Attempts to reach Hanlon Tuesday for comment were not immediately successful.