Ex-Joliet police officer faces federal drug-trafficking charges

A former Joliet police officer who was convicted of domestic battery in 2023 has been indicted by a federal grand jury on drug-trafficking charges.

The charges against William Busse, 41, of Homer Glen, were announced Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. Busse once was a Joliet police officer, but he left the department in 2021 after signing a settlement agreement to end his employment.

The indictment alleged that Busse tried to distribute cocaine Jan. 13, 2021, in Lockport and tried to distribute cocaine and fentanyl Feb. 2, 2021, in Orland Park.

Busse was further accused of distributing cocaine March 2, 2021, in Chicago and methamphetamine April 2, 2021, and April 7, 2021, in the same city.

Busse faces six federal drug-trafficking charges, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Joseph Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the office, said Busse is not in custody. He said Busse will be ordered to appear for arraignment in September.

Jeff Tomczak, whose law firm once represented Busse in his domestic battery case until late 2022, said he has not been retained by Busse in the federal case.

A call and message to Busse’s number and email listed online were not immediately returned.

On March 10, 2023, a Will County jury found Busse guilty of battering his ex-wife in 2019 in New Lenox but not guilty of pulling away from police officers while he was being placed in a police squad vehicle.

The Herald-News was the first to report Busse’s arrest in 2021 in connection with a drug investigation and obtained an email regarding it in a Freedom of Information Act request.

On April 28, 2021, former Joliet police Lt. Joseph Egizio informed police officials in an email that a Chicago police officer said their department and a federal task force arrested Busse for “delivery of PCS,” or possession of a controlled substance.

“[The Chicago Police Department] and the task force are actively serving a search warrant on Busse’s residence. Busse is going to be charged federally,” Egizio’s email said.

After Busse was arrested twice on domestic battery charges in 2019, retired Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner had recommended Busse for termination in February 2020.

But Busse remained on the force until he reached a settlement June 4, 2021, to leave the department about six months after Roechner retired, following his disputes with former Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk.