Retired Joliet police lieutenant pleads guilty to drug charge in Kendall County

A retired Joliet police lieutenant has pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to two years of probation that will not result in a conviction on his record if he successfully completes it.

On Jan. 31, Dennis McWherter, 56, of Deerfield pleaded guilty to felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance, court records show. Several other charges were dismissed, such as official misconduct, theft and unlawful acquisition of a controlled substance.

In 2019, McWherter was charged in Kendall County after a police investigation into allegations he was removing prescription drugs from a drop box at the Joliet Police Department’s West Substation at 7196 Caton Farm Road.

McWherter was sentenced to 24 months of probation under an Illinois statute that allows first-time drug offenders to avoid a conviction on their record.

If McWherter completes his probation, he not only will avoid a conviction on his record but will keep his police pension, according to his attorney, Jeff Tomczak.

Officers can lose their pension if convicted of a felony that was committed in the course of their job.

McWherter is a U.S. Army veteran who a was awarded a Bronze Star. He also served in the Illinois National Guard and was deployed in Iraq.

Tomczak spent last year fighting to get McWherter accepted into Kendall County’s veterans court program. The program aims to prevent veterans from continuing to commit crimes by providing mental health treatment and intensive judicial supervision.

On Oct. 25, 2018, retired Joliet police Sgt. Lindsey Heavener had returned from vacation when he was advised by technicians that McWherter had gone to the evidence section asking for keys to the drug drop boxes, according to police reports.

The investigation by Heavener, retired Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner and other officers led to the Kendall County charges against McWherter.

McWherter is the second former Joliet police officer in the past several years to plead guilty to a felony offense in Kendall County and receive probation that allows them to avoid a conviction on their record. The other is Brian Nagra, who pleaded guilty in 2021 to stealing more than $10,000 from the city of Joliet between 2014 and 2018 by submitting false time sheets to his supervisors for approval. He received 30 months of probation.

In 2019, Nagra resigned from the force several days before his termination hearing by the Joliet Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. Roechner had recommended Nagra’s firing after he was identified as having submitted overtime requests for work he did not do.

Nagra’s termination had been delayed for months. During that time, Nagra stayed on the city’s payroll and he managed to reach a 20-year anniversary date that allowed him to begin collecting a pension at age 50 instead of 60.

McWherter was one of at least three officers who an internal affairs investigation determined had failed to properly review and verify Nagra’s documented work hours before approving them, according to city records.

In a Jan. 3, 2019, internal affairs review letter from retired Deputy Chief Marc Reid saId McWherter had no prior disciplinary history. The letter also noted McWherter had received 20 commendations for recognition, including unit merit awards and letters of appreciation.