A former manager at the Illinois Secretary of State Office has filed a lawsuit against several law enforcement officials and entities, alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution. The complaint was filed by Donna Aguirre in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on November 16, 2024, naming Joe Duca, an Illinois Secretary of State Police Sergeant, among others as defendants.
The case stems from an incident that began in May 2022 when Aguirre conducted a VIN search for her godson's potential vehicle purchase. The vehicle in question was later discovered to have been stolen and fraudulently titled. Despite Aguirre's assertion that she had no knowledge of any fraudulent activity related to the vehicle, she was arrested on November 17, 2022. According to the complaint, Sergeant Duca and other officers surrounded her home and arrested her without probable cause. Aguirre alleges that this arrest led to her spending a night in jail and facing charges based on false testimony provided by Duca during grand jury proceedings.
Aguirre's complaint details numerous alleged missteps by law enforcement throughout the investigation. She claims that Sergeant Duca knowingly provided false information to both prosecutors and the grand jury, leading to her indictment on multiple felony charges including possession of a stolen vehicle and falsification of a manufacturer's vehicle identification number. The complaint accuses Duca of misleading the grand jury with incorrect statements about VIN searches and odometer readings which purportedly suggested Aguirre's involvement in criminal activities.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress, loss of employment, and other financial losses resulting from what Aguirre describes as wrongful actions by law enforcement officials. She also requests punitive damages against specific defendants for their roles in her alleged unlawful arrest and prosecution. Furthermore, Aguirre is seeking indemnification from McHenry County should any judgment be rendered against Defendant Jones.
Representing Aguirre are attorneys Richard Dvorak and Liza Vasilyeva from Dvorak Law Offices LLC. The case is presided over by judges within the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 3:24-cv-50470.