A Kane County judge recently ruled in favor of suppressing evidence seized after a 2014 traffic stop that led to drug charges against a former police officer from Oregon, court records state.
In an April 6 decision that followed multiple hearings, Judge John Barsanti granted a motion to suppress evidence in the case of 58-year-old William Floyd Marsh — a retired sheriff’s deputy from the state of Oregon — who was arrested in February 2014 on marijuana trafficking and money laundering charges. A Kane County sheriff’s deputy patrolling Interstate 90 near Route 47 initiated the traffic stop after observing Marsh’s pickup truck traveling 58 mph in a 40 mph zone but planned to let Marsh go with a warning as a professional courtesy, according to court documents.
However, the Kane deputy continued small talk with Marsh after indicating he was free to leave. Marsh’s demeanor and responses to some questions raised concerns for the deputy, who eventually asked whether Marsh had any guns or drugs in the truck. Marsh acknowledged having two loaded guns with him, and the Kane deputy determined Marsh was not authorized to carry them, court records state.
The chain of events ultimately led to a search of the truck that turned up thousands in cash and the investigation of two storage lockers where various drugs were located, records show. Marsh told investigators he was paid to drive steel construction boxes from California to Chicago.
In August, Marsh’s attorney sought to suppress evidence against Marsh on grounds that the stop was illegal, unlawful in its length and that the subsequent searches were illegal. Barsanti agreed.
Marsh remains held in Kane County Jail on $1.5 million bail with a May 4 court appearance scheduled.
Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.