Melodie Gliniewicz’s trial date set for late May

A trial date has been set in the case against Melodie Gliniewicz, who is accused of helping her late husband, disgraced Fox Lake police Lt. Joe Gliniewicz, embezzle money from a youth program.

Lake County Judge James Booras set the case to go to trial May 24 and set a pretrial hearing for March 16. Booras noted the date might be changed if there are other cases also set to go to trial at that time.

The case was brought against Melodie Gliniewicz in 2016 and has been stalled at several points through the process.

In May 2019, the legal battle was delayed after prosecutors appealed a judge’s decision to block some text messages between Joe and Melodie Gliniewicz from being used at trial. In June 2020, a state appeals court sided with the prosecutors and ruled the texts could be used.

Authorities allege Joe and Melodie Gliniewicz stole thousands from the Fox Lake Police Department’s Explorer post to pay for personal expenses, including a trip to Hawaii, movie tickets, pornography websites and more than 400 restaurant charges.

The accusations surfaced after Joe Gliniewicz was found shot to death in a secluded area of Fox Lake on Sept. 1, 2015. Investigators initially believed he was shot in the line of duty, but they later determined he killed himself hoping to prevent exposure of his crimes and made it appear as if he’d been gunned down.

In interviews with police after her husband’s death, Melodie Gliniewicz, 56, of Antioch Township, said she and her husband “borrowed” from the Explorer post but repaid what they took, court documents state. However, documents also indicate police asked her about texts between the couple that were found on her husband’s phone, making reference to “hiding money.”

Gliniewicz is charged with unlawful use of charitable funds, conspiracy and money laundering. She has pleaded not guilty and is free on bail while awaiting trial.