Former North Chicago police chief Michael G. Newsome charged with stealing government property BY JON SEIDEL Staff Rep

PHOTO: Michael G. Newsome (WHITE SHIRT)

Lake County prosecutors accused North Chicago’s former police chief Tuesday of an “ongoing and lucrative scheme” to steal money from a fund where the city collected cash from drug arrests before he left his job as North Chicago’s top cop.

Michael G. Newsome, 51, is charged two counts of theft — the first a Class X felony, alleging he stole more than $100,000 — along with charges of official misconduct and misapplication of funds.

He surrendered Tuesday to the Lake County Sheriff after prosecutors filed the charges, officials said. His bail was initially set at $100,000 but lowered to $25,000 after a hearing, according to the Lake County clerk’s office.

“If the former chief is found guilty of these charges, it represents an enormous betrayal of the trust we placed in him to keep our community safe and to manage already scarce funds responsibly and legally,” said North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham in a statement announcing the charges with Lake County State’s Attorney Michael J. Waller.

Neither Newsome nor his attorney could immediately be reached for comment.

Rockingham and Waller declined in their statement to say when Newsome allegedly stole the money or how much was taken. The second count of theft against him alleges he took between $500 and $10,000, though, and the two officials said it was taken from the city’s asset forfeiture funds, where money seized from illegal drug deals is deposited.