CRYSTAL LAKE – A Crystal Lake lawyer who had more than 50 rifles and other guns confiscated from his home will serve two years of probation and pay thousands of dollars in fines after accepting a plea deal Wednesday.

Donald F. Franz, 51, of the 300 block of Dartmoor Court, pleaded guilty to failing to surrender his firearm owner’s identification card and obstructing a peace officer.

Carroll County Judge Val Gunnarsson sentenced Franz to two years of probation, five days in the county jail and $2,345 in fines, according to sentencing information filed in the McHenry County Circuit Clerk’s Office.

Gunnarsson was appointed to preside over the case after McHenry County judges recused themselves because the matter involved a local attorney.

Franz’s attorney, Edward Donahue, was not available to comment on the conditions of the sentence.

Franz is expected to be free from probation Dec. 13, 2019.

He was arrested Jan. 19 when police responded to North Williams Street in Crystal Lake for the report of a drunken driver.

During a search of Franz’s house, officers found 36 high-powered rifles, assault-style rifles and shotguns; 20 assorted handguns; and thousands of rounds of ammunition, authorities have said. Franz is believed to be a hunter.

In addition to the two charges Franz pleaded guilty to, the attorney also was charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer, possession of a firearm with a revoked FOID card, carrying a concealed firearm while under the influence, possession of ammunition without a FOID card, illegal use of a driver’s license and aggravated driving under the influence with a revoked license.

Those charges were dismissed as part of the negotiated plea, sentencing records show.

Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Derek Hyrkas could not be reached to comment on whether the police department would return the guns to Franz.

According to an Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission ruling, Franz's law license is suspended for at least two years.

The commission first filed a complaint against Franz in 2014, claiming that he pressured a client to sign a document that would require the client to pay $10,000 for an attorney in a divorce case, without explaining other possible options.

An additional count was added to the complaint last year, accusing Franz of challenging a client to a duel and insulting him during an argument about money.

In October, a third count was added to the complaint, accusing Franz of sending threatening emails and voicemails to a former client, commission counsel Scott Renfroe and ARDC administrator Jerome Larkin.

According to the complaint, Franz threatened to kill Larkin over the ARDC’s efforts to sanction him as recently as September 2016.