Algonquin woman, a Secretary of State employee, accused of ‘official misconduct’

An Illinois Secretary of State employee who lives in Algonquin is accused of using the state’s database to obtain a title for a stolen vehicle, according to McHenry County court records.

Donna D. Aguirre, 62, of the 500 block of Woods Creek Lane, was charged with one count of official misconduct, a Class 3 felony, and one count of offenses relating to disposition of titles and registration, a Class 2 felony, according to the criminal complaint.

If convicted on the more serious Class 2 felony, Aguirre could be sentenced to between three and seven years in prison. The charge also is probational.

Aguirre is accused of “knowingly and with intent of gaining personal advantage for herself,” using the state’s database to run vehicle identification checks on or about July 19, the complaint states.

Authorities also allege Aguirre “knowingly used a fictitious vehicle identification number on a title application to obtain a title for a stolen” 2020 Land Rover Range Velar, according to the complaint.

Aguirre had worked at the Woodstock office of the Secretary of State since 1999. Her position at the time of the alleged incident was as an executive II. She oversaw operations at that office, said Beth Kaufman, press secretary for the Chicago office of the Secretary of State.

She has been on administrative leave without pay since her arrest on Nov. 18, Kaufman said.

The investigation was spearheaded by the Secretary of State Police and the Inspector General Office and then turned over to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“The Secretary of State takes this very seriously and this type of alleged behavior will not be tolerated,” Kaufman said.

Aguirre bonded out of the McHenry County jail on Nov. 21 after posting 10% of a $50,000 bond, according to court documents.

Aguirre is set to be in court Jan. 13 for preliminary hearing.

As of Tuesday, she did not have an attorney listed in the court file and she has been denied representation by a McHenry County public defender, according to court records.