Judge throws out charges against Fischer

DECATUR, Ill. — Forgery and misconduct charges filed against Brent Fischer were thrown out by a Macon County judge Thursday afternoon.

Macon County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Geisler ruled in favor of the defense’s argument that Macon County was not the proper venue to consider the charges Fischer. The accusations were made against him when he was the director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Fischer is also a current member of the Adams County Board and a former Adams County Sheriff. He was dismissed from his state director’s position when the issue was discovered.

Fischer was accused of awarding Howard Buffett, a former Macon County Sheriff and a son of famed investor Warren Buffett, certifications he was not qualified for. Fischer was accused of sending a certification waiver to Buffett to give him an exemption because he did not have the necessary 560 hours of training required to be a sworn police officer, even though he was a former sheriff. Buffett was appointed Macon County Sheriff in 2017, but did not run to be elected to the office.

Fischer’s attorney, Rick Frazier, argued the allegations didn’t take place in Macon County and there were no basis for charges and no jurisdiction there. Geisler said he had researched the case and concurred with the defense.

And while the judge added that he was making the ruling “without prejudice” on the merit of the allegations, which were three counts of forgery and one count of official misconduct, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s office has already declined to pursue the case once.

Frazier told the Decatur Herald & Review the case was over when asked if it could be refiled.

“It could be, but it will not be,” Frazier said. “And if it was, it has got to be done obviously where the crime supposedly occurred, and certainly that is not Macon County. I can speak for Sheriff Fischer that we are relieved; we think that Judge Geisler’s ruling is correct, he did the right thing.”

Macon County State’s Attorney Scott Reuter told the Herald & Review he would discuss the matter with the Illinois State Police.

“I will refer it back to the State Police and I imagine they will go back to Sangamon County with it and see if they think it is actionable there,” he said.