Mudron: Dickinson Wanted To Get Ahead Of Private Parts Photo Scandal

JOLIET, IL — Two-term Joliet City Councilman Pat Mudron, who is up for re-election April 4, told two senior agents from the Illinois State Police that he accepted an invitation to visit the house of Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner on Nov. 1, 2020. The discussion topic? Compromising photos of fellow Councilman Don "Duck" Dickinson and how those photos could be used against Dickinson by Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk, Illinois State Police documents show.

On Nov. 17, 2020, Mudron told the Illinois State Police that Dickinson and a woman had sent pictures of themselves to one another, and afterward, they were both expected to delete the photos. Dickinson deleted the woman's photos, but Dickinson was not sure the woman deleted Dickinson's photos, Mudron told state police.

If the photos came out, they must have come from the woman, Mudron told senior agents Nathan Schramka and Michael Merritt during the face to face interview inside the Mudron Kane insurance business on Joliet's Republic Avenue.

Mudron told state police that Dickinson was told by O'Dekirk that "the public is going to see the real Don Dickinson" and "Mudron believes that Dickinson put this all together and believes that the female had given the pictures to O'Dekirk," the police reports show.

Mudron said he attended the meeting at the Joliet police chief's house at Dickinson's request.

Additionally, Mudron told the state police, "he would only go if he knew for sure that he was welcomed by all who were attending the meeting. Mudron advised that Joseph Hosey, managing editor for The Herald-News newspaper, was there and the meeting "was in reference to a compromising photo of Dickinson that the mayor was apparently in possession of.

"Mudron believed that Dickinson wanted to get out in front of the issue before the public was made aware ... Mudron advised that Dickinson decided he was going to make a statement at the next Council meeting about the photos and Roechner told Dickinson he needed to file a police report about these pictures," Mudron told the state police.

Mudron did not know who arranged the meeting, nor who invited Hosey to be there.

Mudron told the state police that Dickinson had dated the woman a few years before getting elected to the Joliet City Council, and "Mudron indicated that he believed that this entire matter is causing problems with Dickinson and his current girlfriend."

According to Mudron, Dickinson received a phone call from Jim McFarland, the former Joliet City Councilman, who told Dickinson about a party where "people were talking about these pictures O'Dekirk has of Dickinson," state police records reflect.

At the meeting inside Roechner's house, "Hosey advised everyone that the pictures of Dickinson is common knowledge on the street," police records state.

"Mudron indicated that Dickinson believed he was being blackmailed and that was the reason why he would not run for re-election," according to state police. Mudron also told the state police that O'Dekirk wanted to replace Roechner as chief of police with a person of his choosing and O'Dekirk does not like Dickinson "because of the way he voted at a meeting in reference to the city manager, Marty Shanahan."

Before his interview ended, Mudron remarked that Dickinson "was worried about getting in trouble for filing the police report ... that he was not going to go to jail for this. Mudron reassured Dickinson that if he tells the truth, he has done nothing wrong," police reports noted.

State Police Interview Roechner April 15, 2021

The same two senior agents who interviewed Mudron later went to Roechner's house, and he agreed to let them interview him and record the interview. Roechner also tape-recorded the interview for himself.

Roechner told Illinois State Police that Dickinson came to him about filing a complaint with Joliet police "because O'Dekirk had pictures of Dickinson's genital area and was using these pictures to persuade Dickinson from running for re-election as a Joliet City Council member."

According to Roechner's interview with the state police, "Dickinson was afraid O'Dekirk was going to release pictures of Dickinson's genital area to other people. Dickinson explained he had been in a relationship with Jennifer Jobe-Gavin with whom he had shared some pictures of his genital area."

Roechner informed the state police he told Dickinson "there is no crime here. You and Gavin were consenting adults. Roechner explained that he told Dickinson he needed to get ahead of this issue before O'Dekirk had a chance to put something out about these pictures."

Furthermore, Roechner advised Dickinson that if O'Dekirk is threatening him, Dickinson needed to file a police report.

"Roechner explained that he assisted in getting a hold of The Herald-News newspaper reporter Joseph Hosey and allowed Dickinson to meet with him at his residence," the state police outlined.

Roechner told the state police he allowed Mudron, Dickinson and Hosey "to meet at his residence ... and talk about getting ahead of O'Dekirk putting pictures of Dickinson's genital area out to the public."

Roechner told the state police he was watching the Chicago Bears game on TV while the others met and talked.

In the coming days, Roechner told the state police, McFarland called to talk about an event at a person's house; McFarland and the party's host were talking about pictures O'Dekirk had of Dickinson.

"Roechner explained that he told McFarland that in the event the police come talk to you about this, you must tell them everything you told me," the state police report outlined.

Roechner told the state police his conversation with McFarland happened after Dickinson had already filed his police report with Roechner's deputy chief, Marc Reid.

"Roechner does not know Dickinson to be untruthful to him and has never known Dickinson to lie," the state police wrote.

Joliet's retired chief went on to say that the FBI was initially approached about handling the Dickinson case.

"Roechner advised that the FBI had talked to Dickinson about this incident before we had talked to him. Roechner explained he had put Dickinson in contact with the FBI."

The senior agents at the Illinois State Police began to ask more direct questions of Roechner.

"Special Agent Merritt advised Roechner that Dickinson was not the only person who indicated that he was pressured into filing the police report to discredit the mayor," state police noted. "Special Agent Merritt asked if this was done in hopes the mayor would resign or quit and then, you, Roechner, as well as the deputy chiefs, would not lose their jobs."

According to the state police, Roechner went on to say the "mayor's intent was there from day one and had nothing to do with anything. Roechner advised that the pictures had nothing to do with him or anyone else. Roechner did not answer the question."

Special agent Merritt then asked why Dickinson went to the FBI first before talking to the Illinois State Police.

"Roechner explained that the Illinois State Police does not know what has been going on for the past two years," the senior agents wrote. "Roechner explained that he had nothing to do with what we were implying or suggesting for shopping for police departments that would take the complaint."

Lastly, Roechner told the Illinois State Police, he "was not sure if his wife had ever attempted to contact Dickinson via text or Facebook."

On Thursday, Joliet Patch reported that Joliet's inspector general, Westmont lawyer Sean Connolly, issued a 49-page report investigating Dickinson's allegations that Mayor O'Dekirk had blackmailed him.

Connolly's report, dated March 1, is mostly based off the Illinois State Police probe. Connolly recommends Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul bring criminal charges against Roechner and Reid and that Reid's law enforcement certification be revoked in Illinois.

Roechner retired in January 2021 and now collects a Joliet police pension of about $160,000, Connolly wrote. Reid retired in April 2021 and now collects a Joliet police pension of $148,000, plus he draws a full-time salary as Elwood Police Department's commander, the second-highest ranking position, working for Chief Fred Hayes, Joliet's retired chief.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Ex-Chief, Ex-Deputy Chief Conspired To Damage Mayor: IL State Police