McHenry Times

The Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) claim to have computer forensics evidence about Algonquin Township Road District department files being wiped from the system, potentially leading to a criminal inquiry that could place former Highway Commissioner Bob Miller at the center.   

In a press release, ECW officials claim to have proof that someone logged onto the road district's server on April 2, 2017, and installed an anti-forensic software package that was designed “to delete and destroy data, executed that program and destroyed beyond recover many files,”

According to the Northwest Herald, the discovery was made after new Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Andrew Gasser hired Decatur-based forensics company Garrett Discovery to analyze computer hard drives belonging to the district, including those belonging to Miller.

Bob Miller

ECW officials claim they were able to view the files composed by Garrett after their investigation was complete through a Freedom of Information Act request. In the Garrett report, Andrew Garrett alleges that he was told by the contractor hired to help Miller delete and destroy the files “because he had personal information on it.”

The unnamed contractor further alleges that “when he went to wipe data from Mr. Miller’s desktop PC, there wasn’t anything to wipe because Mr. Miller had already deleted everything,” the Herald article said.

Law 50 ILCS 205/4, Section 4 stipulates that “all public records made or received by, or under the authority of, or coming into the custody, control or possession of any officer or agency shall not be mutilated, destroyed, transferred, removed or otherwise damaged or disposed of, in whole or in part, except as provided by law. Any person who knowingly, without lawful authority and with the intent to defraud any party, public officer, or entity, alters, destroys, defaces, removes, or conceals any public record commits a Class 4 felony.”

ECW noted that if the accusations of using public computers for private use against Miller are proven to be true, he could also face additional claims of having violated the state Constitution. 

Over the last year, a grand jury has been probing widespread allegations of corruption within the Algonquin Township Road District, where Miller and his family controlled the department for more than five decades. 

According to the Herald, in recent months Gasser directly accused Miller of “giving away government property to political allies, bid rigging, using township credit cards to buy personal items for family members and falsifying official documents.”