Two brothers on Monday admitted they lied about a Marengo police officer’s use of excessive force, in exchange for dismissal of felony charges in a plea deal, McHenry County’s top prosecutor said.
Brian Gaughan Jr., 23, of the 3700 block of Standish Road, Marengo, and Kevin Gaughan, 20, of the 100 block of John Street, DeKalb, pleaded guilty to attempted disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, for lying about Brian Gaughan’s head being rammed into a wall during an October 2004 arrest at a Marengo festival, State’s Atty. Lou Bianchi said.
The brothers were sentenced to a year of conditional release, records show. The Gaughans faced up to 5 years in prison if they had been convicted of battering a police officer and filing a false police report, both felonies, Bianchi said.
The brothers have a federal civil suit pending against Marengo police and former Officer Scott Crawford, Bianchi said.
The brothers were indicted in November 2004 on charges of aggravated battery and obstructing a peace officer for allegedly pushing Crawford; they were indicted in February 2005 after reporting that excessive force was used in the arrest, records show.
