PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – Former Peoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Patterson lost his job last week after he was found guilty of willful mistreatment, falsifying reports, and failure to report honestly. This comes after two years of investigating the veteran deputy by the Sheriff’s Office.
A Freedom of Information request allowed 25 News to learn more about the complaints against him from citizens and even coworkers.
A merit commission heard cases of misconduct and citizen complaints last week, with eight charges brought forth by Sheriff Brian Asbell.
One of the citizen complaints said that Patterson put his safety and his family’s safety in danger after Patterson asked him to be a confidential informant to make drug busts.
“We had a big deal coming up and I told him, I said, you want a big bust right and he’s like ya and I said alright, I can do about $180 dollars worth but it’s going to be in a week and he said okay I’ll be in town, just call me,” said the Princeville man that asked his name not be disclosed.
But when the day came for the deal, the informant was ready and Patterson backed out.
“I was getting ready to show up and I said, ok here I come and he said oh I’m too busy right now. I said this is you, you wanted this deal and he said I’m too busy right now.”
The man said he hid his family for fear of retaliation from the drug dealers after breaking the deal, with no help from Patterson.
When asked about the situation by the Sheriff’s Office, documents show Patterson said it was not serious enough to call other deputies about. When asked if it was real, Patterson told the Sheriff’s Office,
“absolutely not”.
However, phone records show Patterson texting other deputies, telling them about the possible deal. Patterson texted another deputy with details on time, then suddenly stated the deal was off.
Patterson was charged with making a false report, giving false communication, along with willful mistreatment of a person.
“He’s just a bully with a badge,” said the man who filed the citizen complaint.
When 25 News spoke with Sheriff Asbell about Patterson’s firing last Tuesday, Asbell said any situation with those internal charges should never happen.
“We have to police ourselves. We have to have the highest standards, integrity, and ethics in this profession and when that’s jeopardized it makes the entire agency, command staff as well as the profession look bad in public eye,” said Sheriff Brian Asbell in a previous interview on the subject.
Some of the other charges against Patterson include:
Making a false report that someone within the Sheriff’s Office had done cocaine at a bar.
Falsifying statements made by then Peoria County State’s Attorney Jerry Brady.
Failure to notify supervisors about handling incidents off duty
Another citizen complaint accused Patterson of following him home to remove a Facebook post about him.
Jason Patterson has the opportunity to appeal the allegations.
