Waukegan police officer charged with misconduct for misusing license plate readers, law enforcement databases

A Waukegan police officer is facing five felony charges for allegedly misusing the city's automated license place readers, like Flock cameras, and law enforcement databases.

Waukegan police and the Lake County State's Attorney announced Tuesday that Oscar Magpali is facing five counts of official misconduct.

Magpali has been a department employee for 11 years, officials said.

Officials said they first identified "numerous" searches of vehicles registered to Waukegan Police Department Employees and people associated with those employees. As they investigated those searches, WPD said an administrative and a criminal investigation were launched separately.

Their investigation of electronic and departmental records, as well as witness interviews, led them to examine activity in the Illinois Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, or LEADS, and the National Crime Information Center. As a result of that investigation, five official misconduct charges were filed against Magpali.

Police said a department-wide administrative investigation and audit into officers' use of law enforcement databases remains ongoing.

Magpali was placed on administrative leave after the initial allegations, and remains on leave at this time, police said. Police also said their administrative investigation is ongoing and remains separate from the criminal investigation.

Magpali is due in court on Nov. 3.