Crime & Safety

Elmhurst Attorney Earl Wilcek Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Client

Wilcek could serve up to 15 years in prison.

Former Elmhurst attorney Earl Wilcek, 59, pleaded guilty Friday to charges that he stole more than $100,000 from a client, The Chicago Tribune is reporting.

DuPage County prosecutors charged Wilcek with felony theft of greater than $100,000 in September 2011. They said for a period of two and a half years, from January 2008 to June 2010, Wilcek wrote checks to himself from accounts belonging to an estate overseen by an Elmhurst man.

Wilcek, who practiced a wide variety of civil and criminal law, was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1981. He was "disbarred on consent" one year ago, according to the Illinois Bar Association.

Wilcek faces four to 15 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing April 5, according to the Tribune.

Find out what's happening in Elmhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Patch reports on law enforcement activity using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member are charged with a crime or cited for a violation and the charge or citation is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to contact karenc@patch.com and we will do follow-up reporting on the case.

Let Patch save you time. Get more local stories like these delivered right to your inbox or smartphone with our free newsletter. Fast signup here. For a different take, like us on Facebook.

Find out what's happening in Elmhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.