Crime & Safety

Special Prosecutor Says No Jail For Judge's Druggie Kid

A June brush with the law right after he got out of prison is going to land the son of former Will County Chief Judge Rodney Lechwar in drug treatment, a special prosecutor said.

By Joseph Hosey

The needles and plastic baggies allegedly found in former Will County Chief Judge Rodney Lechwar's home won't send his druggie son back to prison or catch him a new case, a special prosecutor said.

"They're referring him to drug treatment," special prosecutor Charles Colburn said of Lechwar's son, Matthew Lechwar.

Matthew Lechwar, 30, was released from prison June 5. Nine days later, someone at the 23927 S. Navajo Drive residence where he lives with his father called 911 and claimed Matthew Lechwar overdosed, said Channahon Police Chief Jeff Wold.

Matthew Lechwar "woke up" and was able to walk around on his own after the officers arrived, Wold said, but while the cops were there they found the needles and baggies. The police forwarded the matter to special prosecutor Dave Neal, who works out of the same state office as Colburn.

Prior to his release, Matthew Lechwar had served only seven months in prison out of an eight-year sentence. He was sent to prison after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. Narcotics agents caught him in April 2012 with between 15 and 100 grams of packaged heroin, according to a criminal complaint.

That amount of heroin was enough to put Matthew Lechwar—who had already served prison time on a drug conviction—behind bars for as long as 30 years. But at the last minute Colburn, who was appointed to the case due to Rodney Lechwar's position as a former judge, reduced the charge. Colburn explained that the state police crime lab discovered that Matthew Lechwar was actually carrying much less heroin than the drug agents had claimed.

Colburn then asked Will County Judge Edward Burmila to recommend Matthew Lechwar to a special prison boot camp program that would allow him to walk free in a matter of months. Burmila went along with Colburn's request and Matthew Lechward got out in June.

Matthew Lechwar was on parole at the time of the 911 call and the Department of Corrections investigated the June 14 incident, Colburn said. That investigation led to Matthew Lechwar's referral to drug treatment, he said.

"I think they're talking about in-patient treatment," said Colburn, who noted that Matthew Lechwar remains on parole and if found in violation of it could be sent back to prison for a third time.

Besides the two drug cases that put him in the penitentiary, Matthew Lechwar was charged in 2006 with the unlawful delivery of heroin. He got that case dropped by successfully completing a special drug court program. Matthew Lechwar also has a 2000 possession of cannabis conviction out of Kendall County, a 2003 driving under the influence conviction in Will County, and a 2004 possession of a controlled substance conviction from Grundy County, Colburn said during a court hearing.

Patch has requested an audio recording of the 911 call made from the Lechwars' home but Stephen Rauter, the executive director of the Western Will County Communications Center, is trying to stop its release.

Rodney Lechwar has yet to return telephone inquiries about his son's heroin arrests. Rodney Lechwar was a judge from 1985 until 2010 and held the position of chief judge in Will County from 1997 to 2003. For 10 years prior to becoming a judge, Rodney Lechwar was a Will County prosecutor.

Rodney Lechwar is now a mediator with ADR Systems, "the Chicago area’s largest alternative dispute resolution service."

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